Urban Indian men reject ad stereotypes, demand real portrayals

Kantar conducted this study, surveying 880 men aged 18-45 across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Pune. The study aimed to understand the roles men play in both private and professional spheres and how advertisers depict these roles.

Additionally, Kantar analysed 457 Indian TV ads to identify traditional male and female roles.

The findings, shared exclusively withMint, sought to chart the experiences of Indian men and explore their intersection with brand stories in advertising. Progressive advertising is a proven growth lever. Brands that reflect real, relatable masculinity outperform on metrics such as trust, relevance, and purchase intent, it said.

In fact, 41% of millennials (28-43 years) surveyed feel negatively represented in advertising, while 31% of Gen Z feel the same.

The report indicates that urban Indian men are transitioning from traditional roles of being caretakers and emotionally resilient figures to valuing greater partnership at home and appearing more vulnerable. This shift is particularly pronounced among younger, urban men (Gen Z), who are actively rejecting traditional portrayals and seeking more nuanced and holistic representation in popular media.

“Indian men are not a monolith. Their roles are expanding, their expectations shifting, and their emotional space deepening. Their aspirations are influenced not just by career goals, but by questions of identity, partnership, health, and well-being. Yet advertising still leans on dated tropes that fail to reflect the full picture,” according to the report, anchored by Kantar along with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).

Kantar observed that dominant advertising narratives continue to rely on familiar portrayals of men—the confident provider, the emotionally distant achiever, the unflinching decision-maker. These characters may feel familiar, but they no longer feel complete, it added.

Men today describe a reality for themselves that is more “complex, more conflicted, and more emotionally nuanced”. Those surveyed also said that ads under-represent traditional pressures like financial responsibility or internal conflict.

“Men are feeling a bit alienated in the mainstream narrative, globally and in India. There is a moment of reconsideration for masculinity. Men are evolving, but advertising hasn’t yet caught up. Men are more diverse, more plural, and are more nuanced compared to the relative stereotyping that they see of themselves in advertising,” Soumya Mohanty, managing director and chief client officer, Kantar, said in an interview withMint.

In fact, Kantar found that the majority of ads in categories like personal care, food, and household are still tested only among women, even when men are visible users, buyers, or influencers. In personal care, only 8% of ads were tested among all genders, while 87% were tested only with women. Even in food and Beverages, male representation in testing remains low.

Roles and appearances

Those surveyed said they are tired of having to appear confident and feel disconnected from societal portrayals that rarely reflect their real lives. They are also under pressure to succeed and provide without showing any visible signs of doubt. Men also fear loneliness and failure.

However, advertisers said such a change is hard to come by immediately.

“In small towns and cities (up country India) men want to be seen as macho and also see macho men on screen. Social hierarchies exist in a country like India, and they remain very well defined. There is nothing wrong or right about it. At the end of the day, it’s about a brand’s point of view and who they are targeting,” said Sandeep Goyal, managing director at advertising agency Rediffusion.

Among other findings, a large majority of men (71%) still believe “a real man should never cry,” indicating that the stigma around emotional openness continues to restrict men’s ability to express vulnerability.

For instance, men don’t strongly believe domestic tasks are off-limits for them, but they perceive that ads reinforce this idea. Many men feel ads exaggerate traditional portrayals, especially concerning domestic roles.

Ads also standardise the notion of the way men are expected to look, while overt reliance on grooming is also often critiqued.

For instance, across the 457 ads reviewed by Kantar, one profile largely dominates that of the clean-cut, medium-toned, and middle-aged man. The range of male portrayals is repetitive. Men aged 20-39 lead male representation (32%), while older and teenage males are nearly invisible. Medium skin tone dominates (36%), with light (13%) and dark (6%) tones far less visible. Regular physiques appear in 45% of ads, with fitness extremes being rare.

Gender roles

To be sure, in a large and complex market like India where traditional roles of caregiving and domesticity often openly fall squarely on women, and where women aren’t always encouraged to work or find meaningful employment, any shifts in their financial status or their ability to take on stronger decision-making roles, both outside and within the home, are certainly worth capturing in popular media.

Kantar’s Mohanty said that over the past decade, advertisers have done a great job capturing the shift in women being more progressive and financially independent. For instance, more ads now show women in demanding jobs, dismantling notions around appearances or even single mothers raising children.

Meanwhile, Kantar suggests that brands should move beyond “high-achieving” archetypes of men in advertisements and feature men navigating the demands of real life, dealing with health concerns, work stress, caregiving responsibilities, or managing uncertainty.

Similarly, highlighting caregiving, nurturing, sharing domestic responsibilities, and emotional labour should be portrayed as “regular” parts of life for men, not exceptions. Additionally, male characters cooking, helping children get ready for school, or discussing emotions with partners should become standard, not symbolic.

Men in ads are shown as “already sorted, already wise, already transformed.” However, for many, the reality is they are “still figuring things out.” Brands should show the in-between, where men are working under pressure and learning to express themselves.