Images

Lessons we learned from Pakistani lawn adverts

Lessons we learned from Pakistani lawn adverts

With lawn season in full swing and lawn catalogues abound, we wonder: does lawn really represent us?
Updated 20 May, 2016

As one of our staffers was driving to work one day she noticed not one, not two, not three, but seven hoardings sporting lawn adverts at a single roundabout, all featuring women in various iterations of the shalwar-kameez-dupatta that comprises our national dress.

Lawn is everywhere this summer: on our Instagram feeds, in our magazines, in public spaces, on celebrities, in stores, and, most importantly, on our backs.

But have we ever stopped to question how it's sold to us?

A quick glance at the lawn catalogues littering our office revealed some fascinating — and hilarious, if you squint — lessons that lawn adverts apparently want to teach us, and why, next summer, we might want to see something different.

1) A Pakistani woman wearing lawn... must not live in Pakistan

Oh, the irony! This season most lawn campaigns were shot abroad, like Elan, Maria B, Feeha Jamshed and Shehla Chatoor.

While an average Pakistani woman usually poses for a picture in new spanking-new designer lawn jora in her lawn or on her balcony, our lawn ads paint an extravagant picture of the lawn-wearer, showing models defining the lawn experience in a completely opposite environment.

Here's your average lawn-wearer at a beach in Bangkok!

Just chillin' on the beach, in Shehla Chatoor lawn
Just chillin' on the beach, in Shehla Chatoor lawn

And here she is wearing lawn in Morocco!

Locals really digging her Elan lawn
Locals really digging her Elan lawn

Dubai is also a great spot for lawn-wearers.

Tra-la-la-ing in Dubai in Feeha Jamshed lawn
Tra-la-la-ing in Dubai in Feeha Jamshed lawn

We get that advertisments are meant to be 'aspirational' and that most people aspire to travel for pleasure... but honestly, we don't usually wear lawn joras outside Pakistan (except to Mimi Aunty's annual Eid dinner in Florida — ugh).

What do we really want to see? How that lawn jora stands out at an eight-year-old's birthday party in Lahore. Or at that important presentation you're scheduled to give next Monday in Karachi. Or how the dupatta would stand up to whipping wind at Islamabad's Monal restaurant.

Now THAT would be helpful.

2) A lawn jora is best enjoyed in deep slumber

We thought this was a trope limited to soap operas on Indian TV. But if people were to take lawn ads seriously, they'd think that women enjoy the sweetest slumber in their best lawn joras, fully made up and hair styled to a tee.

Amo B's sweet repose in Sana Safinaz lawn
Amo B's sweet repose in Sana Safinaz lawn

Is this a case of lawn marketers pushing the 'ladies of leisure' image too far? We feel it isolates the rest of us, who, you know, don't lounge about and instead work for a living.

Elan lawn would go to waste on the steps of these Marrakech ruins
Elan lawn would go to waste on the steps of these Marrakech ruins

How hard would it be to plan a photo shoot around women pursuing real-life professions or everyday activities, without compromising on the shoot's glamour appeal? That's a challenge we'd like to see a photographer take.

3) Don't get in the driver's seat. That's a big no-no.

You might ask: are we still talking about transport, or is this a metaphor for life?

We were confused too. These lawn adverts seem to be saying: it's cool to have somewhere to go, but you should struggle to get there. Better yet, don't ever arrive.

Women stand around cars, sit on top of cars, manage to miraculously perch one high-heeled foot on their headlights, but getting in to drive one of those vehicles is out of the question. Why though?

Like, the Orient lawn-clad woman could just turn around
Like, the Orient lawn-clad woman could just turn around

Don't even bother with the luggage. Leave it out. Someone else will get that.

Maybe they can’t see the car, see how confused they look?

Seriously, just turn around (also Orient)
Seriously, just turn around (also Orient)

This one baffles us the most because the poor helpless lady is using her dupatta to create shade when she can just… sit in the car?

We're grasping at straws here, ladies. Just. Get. In. The. Car. And drive!

4) Your trusty dupatta must be repurposed as a sail for navigation. Or similar.

In real life, the dupatta is a highly functional element of your wardrobe. It has multiple uses: at different times it's either a guard against lewd stares, a shield from the sun or an improvised jharan that we clean up spilled chai with (guilty!).

But lawn ads beg to differ.

In lawn ads, the dupatta is used in fascinatingly creative ways. All of them rather useless.

According to this ad, you must use your dupatta as a weathervane. What better use for a three-yard piece of cloth than as an instrument with which to gauge the wind's direction?

So, that way is north. Thanks, Maria B!
So, that way is north. Thanks, Maria B!

Should you get lost at sea, it can be your sail. Amo B demonstrates.

Sana Safinaz sails, anyone?
Sana Safinaz sails, anyone?

And since you're already feeling nautical, you may use your dupatta to dress as a sexy pirate (in lawn) too.

Fashionable pirate in Maria B
Fashionable pirate in Maria B

Dupattas can even be your baby hammock. Insert baby here.

Change lawn is good for both mama and baby
Change lawn is good for both mama and baby

Once, just one, we'd like to see a lawn ad display our favourite use of the dupatta: as a handy (no pun intended) cover for my steering wheel when it gets roasted by the summer heat.

5) The no.1 accessory for the modern Pakistani woman is an animal — preferably wild, but pets do too.

Michael Kors says, "I've always thought of accessories as the exclamation point of a woman's outfit." Well, a wild animal is definitely an exclamation point! Oh what’s that? Most of these are domesticated animals? Well we just learnt a lesson.

We're struggling to figure out what the message is here. Perhaps lawn makes one in tune with nature?

Maybe your lawn will attract animals (not sure that's a plus)?

This Sana Safinaz print is camel-approved
This Sana Safinaz print is camel-approved

Perhaps lawn magically converts you into a dog person... or a bird person?

Orient lawn is pet-friendly
Orient lawn is pet-friendly

How do the animals feel about this, we wonder?

6) A lawn jora is an all-weather garment and must be respected as such.

Planning a trip to the Artic? No problem, break out that FTA jora!

Crimson lawn for the winter...
Crimson lawn for the winter...

Prepping to chill by a tropical lagoon? Shehla Chatoor has you covered!

and Shehla Chatoor's for the summer!
and Shehla Chatoor's for the summer!

Lawn will always be by your side.

Comments

adnan May 20, 2016 04:26pm
i only noticed the best... Kareena kapoor photo link at the bottom of the article.
Recommend (0)
Ahmad May 20, 2016 04:34pm
lol
Recommend (0)
Realist May 20, 2016 04:41pm
HAHA
Recommend (0)
Ola May 20, 2016 04:43pm
Ola like Ola happy ola women
Recommend (0)
Satt May 20, 2016 04:44pm
See through eyes of a man and you will find a perfect sense in these advertisement.These advertisement are not for women.
Recommend (0)
Hassan May 20, 2016 04:48pm
What an innovative way for brands promotions... keep it up!
Recommend (0)
Mehreen May 20, 2016 04:56pm
Hahahah :D Spot on! Loved the article! Everything is so correct about the lawn advertisements
Recommend (0)
Irfan May 20, 2016 05:19pm
I really didn't know there was some lesson to be learned.
Recommend (0)
Hamaad May 20, 2016 06:16pm
Designer wear is way too overrated. There is life beyond it....
Recommend (0)
zulfiqar May 20, 2016 06:36pm
great article. so true about the lawn advertisement these days...
Recommend (0)
Truthful from USA May 20, 2016 07:21pm
Look at it in a positive way, Lawn style uses twice to three times the fabric than normal shalwar qamis . Isn't it a good way to promote otherwise stagnant industry?
Recommend (0)
Joah May 20, 2016 07:28pm
Summing up this valuable article's advice to the Lawn advertusers in two sentences: Be original and practical, guys! Quit being so fake...
Recommend (0)
Exlim May 20, 2016 08:32pm
Give them a break. The message is to look attractive and do it with some interest,
Recommend (0)
KHIZIR FAROOQI May 20, 2016 11:01pm
THIS IS THE BEST ADVERTISEMENT FOR LAWNS . GOOD IDEA.
Recommend (0)
CasualObserver May 21, 2016 05:35am
Quite a petty thing to complain about. I feel like Pakistanis are far too critical of everything. Newsflash: this is the only way to advertise lawn! Personally i think Pakistani lawn ads are very beautiful and appealing. They show the mystery and charm surrounding a woman. The Élan lawn campaign set in Morocco showed the model to be happy, smiling and exploring an exotic location herself, that's much better than advertisements featuring brooding, miserable women draped across a man, like a secondary accessory.
Recommend (0)
Ali May 21, 2016 08:30am
All this hype is nothing but a marketing gimmick. Then we have volume 123 coming out every month and women running like crazy. They tell u wear only this years new lawn print. Last years. Oh it's old. Then making women compete for the latest and the companies filling their pockets.
Recommend (0)
Kishore Kumar May 21, 2016 09:51am
I have gone through this article but unable to figure out what actually it want to draw into our attention.
Recommend (0)
Ruby May 21, 2016 11:44am
@Kishore Kumar this article wants to draw your attention on how Lawn is sold to people or the Marketing of it, in a light hearted, funny way. Was that too difficult for you to understand?
Recommend (0)
Ruby May 21, 2016 11:48am
@CasualObserver you are an exact example of what you accuse others to be - far too critical of everything! Chill man, just enjoy the article's satirically take on advertising.
Recommend (0)
Qaiser May 21, 2016 12:19pm
All adverts are designed keeping in mind client age. These adverts are designed for men..
Recommend (0)
Omrna May 23, 2016 05:31am
Mahira Khan makeup and looks amazing in the above shot below the article..Beautiful
Recommend (0)
Waqar May 23, 2016 02:31pm
As another commenter pointed out. These ads are made for men. They work wonders on us. Everyday i see these hot women on these large billboards, and i say to myself. "DAYYUM!". So yeah, these ads are good! :D
Recommend (0)
MAH May 23, 2016 03:25pm
lol .... this is so hilarious and so true! The lawn craziness has gone pretty crazy and they all have started to look almost the same. I have actually stopped buying these designer lawn suits now.
Recommend (0)
Bupi May 25, 2016 12:06am
Change is always good be it be foods clothing or something else.
Recommend (0)
Naveed May 25, 2016 09:08am
I didn't understand what is new lawn prints, its all about old product in new packing.....
Recommend (0)