Aditya Birla Group ignites conversation to ‘Change the Game’ with its International Women’s Day campaign

07 March, 2024

The campaign features women leaders from Aditya Birla Group companies who have challenged gender stereotypes to set new rules

Aditya Birla Group, the US$65 billion global conglomerate, has unveiled its latest International Women’s campaign, #ChangeTheGame, today urging people to challenge gender stereotypes.

This year’s International Women’s Day celebrates the theme of ‘Inspire Inclusion.’ By fostering understanding and appreciation for women’s inclusion, it encourages all to pave the way for a brighter future. One where women are empowered, feel valued and included, igniting a profound sense of belonging and appreciation.

Aditya Birla Group’s ‘Change the Game’ campaign delves deep into a pool of biases that working women confront daily. The campaign’s centrepiece is a metaphorical ‘red’ ball, symbolising these biases, carelessly strewn across the corporate landscape but saved by many.

With a sporty advertising style of storytelling, the video dismantles gender stereotypes and discusses gender bias faced by woman in their career aspirations. The video features three generations of women who have challenged the norms and defied them to set new rules.

What’s unique about the film is its cast comprises entirely of women employees of Aditya Birla Group. The film features women leaders such as Pinky Mehta, Chief Financial Officer, Aditya Birla Capital Limited; Dr. Ila Patnaik, Chief Economist, Aditya Birla Group;

Pooja Kapur, Group Head - Investor Relations & Capital Markets Strategy, Aditya Birla Group; Farida Kaliydan, Chief Operating Officer - Louis Philippe and Planet Fashion; and Madhavi Kanumoory, Chief Digital & Information Officer, Birla Carbon.

The #ChangeTheGame film begins with an employee noticing a red ball on the work floor, a manifestation of the daily prejudices and preconceptions that working women face. With a determined kick, she sets the narrative in motion.

As the ball moves around the office, its each encounter is punctuated by real dialogues echoing the dismissive remarks often hurled at women professionals. From assumptions about mothers’ inability to balance work with family commitments to doubts about women’s technological prowess, the film lays bare the pervasive biases in the workplace.

The red ball encounters several women who have negated such assumptions by leading conventional roles conventionally assumed as ‘male-bastions’. These leaders deftly intercept the ball, halting its progress and dismantling the misconceptions it represents.

The 90-second film’s narrative arc culminates with the ball returning to its origin, where the employee, now empowered and emboldened, seizes the ball, ending the cycle of perpetuating biases.

Through powerful visual metaphor and poignant storytelling, ‘Change the Game’ urges viewers to reassess gender norms and advocates for workplaces that offer equal opportunities with equal recognition. It serves as a clarion call for a shift in attitudes and practices, emphasising the imperative of creating environments where women can thrive and contribute without the shackles of prejudice holding them back.

As the world gears up to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th, Aditya Birla Group proudly reaffirms its commitment to championing gender equality. This campaign urges people to join the conversation, challenge gender stereotypes, and take action to create a more equitable and inclusive world for all.