Only 6% of male characters in ads show respect towards women: Report

Despite Indian men becoming more open to shared responsibilities at home, brands continue to associate domesticity with women, further widening the representation gap, according to a Kantar report.

'The Indian Masculinity Maze', a report decoding how urban Indian men are perceived, portrayed and positioned in modern advertising revealed that household and caregiving roles were shown in just 1% of ads involving men.

Only 6% of male characters explicitly show respect or emotional care towards women and 94% of ads did not challenge traditional male roles.

The report added that 43% of voiceovers were male, compared to 31% female- implying male authority even in mixed-gender narratives.

This report brings to light the growing disconnect between real male identities and how masculinity is reflected in media and marketing narratives.

It is based on a robust, two-pronged approach: a nationwide survey of 880 urban Indian men (aged 18–45) across eight cities and an extensive analysis of 450+ TV advertisements aired across 150+ channels in 12 languages. The findings unpack tensions, transitions and untapped opportunities for brands operating in one of the world’s most demographically dynamic markets.

Read more: Kantar predicts human creativity will be as crucial as tech in 2025

Commenting on the report, Prasanna Kumar, Executive Vice President, Insights Division, Kantar and co-author of the report said, “This report isn’t about rewriting masculinity overnight. It’s about recognising where men are today, often caught between tradition and transition and helping brands engage with that complexity in a way that’s both commercially smart and culturally sensitive.”

Key highlights from the report:

A complex, evolving identity: Masculinity in transition: Indian men today are juggling emotional strain, expanding roles at home and shifting self-perceptions, but the advertising world hasn’t kept pace. The research reveals that while younger men (especially Gen Z) are more emotionally expressive and open to change, media portrayals continue to glorify the stoic provider archetype.

- 71% of men agree that “real men don’t cry,” yet many feel this expectation is outdated and emotionally limiting.

- 41% of Millennials and 31% of Gen Z men feel negatively represented in advertising, compared to just 15–17% of older generations.

- Men say they regularly suppress emotions like fear, loneliness, and vulnerability- feelings rarely acknowledged in mainstream ads.

What ads get wrong; and why it matters: The ad audit reveals a dominant reliance on outdated masculinity tropes:

- Only 6% of male characters explicitly show respect or emotional care towards women.

- 94% of ads did not challenge traditional male roles.

- 43% of voiceovers were male, compared to 31% female- implying male authority even in mixed-gender narratives.

- Household and caregiving roles were shown in just 1% of ads involving men. Despite Indian men becoming more open to shared responsibilities at home, brands continue to associate domesticity with women, further widening the representation gap.

The business case: Authentic portrayal drives ROI: Kantar’s LINK database confirms that breaking male stereotypes is not just progressive, it’s profitable:

- Ads that depict men as empathetic and emotionally nuanced see a +63 point lift in long-term brand equity and +44 point increase in short-term sales likelihood.

- Brands that test ads with inclusive samples, especially in personal care and household categories perform significantly better across genders.

Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director & Chief Client Officer- South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar added, “Most ads still rely on outdated male stereotypes, rarely showing men as emotionally present or involved at home. This widens the gap between reality and representation. But this isn’t just a cultural miss; it’s a commercial one. Our LINK data shows that ads breaking these norms deliver significantly stronger brand equity and sales impact.”

Gen Z: A generation in flux, and a missed opportunity: Gen Z men, while open to more fluid expressions of masculinity, often feel unseen or caricatured in ads:

- Over 60% feel that confidence, control and appearance are overemphasized in advertising.

- 48% say grooming is shown with too much pressure, while 32% feel parenting roles for men are underrepresented.

Gen Z is not a monolith—they’re navigating contradictions between tradition and change, and advertising isn’t helping bridge that gap.

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI, said: “ASCI is committed to fostering progressive advertising representations. Earlier this year, we launched the 'Manifest: Masculinities Beyond the Mask' study, in collaboration with the Unstereotype Alliance (convened by UN Women). We are now pleased to associate with Kantar on ‘The Indian Masculinity Maze' to take this conversation forward. The Kantar report will help the industry move beyond superficial portrayals to understand not just the diverse realities of men today, but also to create positive representations of men that are in sync with reality.”

A Balanced Path Forward- 6 Strategic Imperatives for Brands:

The report offers a pragmatic roadmap for brands seeking to engage with modern masculinity without losing sight of commercial goals:

- Portray Real Lives: Move beyond aspirational stereotypes. Show men navigating everyday pressures like health, work stress, caregiving, and uncertainty.

- Represent Shared Roles: Normalise caregiving and emotional labour. These should be regular parts of male portrayal, not occasional exceptions.

- Focus on the Emotional Journey: Show men in transition, not just as confident, sorted individuals but as people figuring things out.

- Test Inclusively: Include male voices in ad testing, especially in categories where masculinity intersects with consumption.

- Model Contemporary Masculinity: Blend resilience with vulnerability and leadership with empathy. Let men be soft, indecisive, reflective and warm.

- Colour the Whitespace: Address unmet needs around health, identity and emotional well-being. These are not just creative gaps, they’re category opportunities

“Kantar has been a founding member of the Unstereotype Alliance India Chapter. We value our collaboration with Kantar and ASCI on this important initiative to develop the study on masculinities in Indian advertising. Achieving gender equality and inclusion requires the meaningful engagement of all genders, including men and boys. It is important that marketers and content creators better understand evolving perspectives and aspirations to help challenge gender stereotypes and promote more inclusive narratives” said Ms Kanta Singh, Country Representative, ad interim, UN Women India Country Office.