GECs
IAA Voice of Change to unveil gender representation study on 7 July
Geena Davis Institute and UNICEF study analyses 1,000 Indian advertisements
MUMBAI: Changing the script begins long before the cameras roll. The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) will bring the advertising industry together on 7 July 2026 to examine how far Indian advertising has progressed in portraying gender more equitably, using fresh research to steer the next chapter of inclusive storytelling.
Hosted at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai from 2 pm, the IAA Voice of Change Roundtable, organised in partnership with knowledge partner UNICEF, will mark a key milestone for the industry’s gender-sensitisation initiative launched in 2020.
The event will feature the unveiling of the India Advertising Midline Study: Gender Representation and Inclusion Trends, conducted by the Geena Davis Institute (GDI) in collaboration with UNICEF. The research analyses 1,000 Indian advertisements and compares current representation with findings from the 2021 baseline study, offering fresh insights into how gender portrayal has evolved over the past five years.
The roundtable will bring together leaders from advertising, marketing and content to discuss the findings, assess the industry’s progress, identify persistent challenges and explore opportunities to build more authentic and inclusive narratives.
The discussion will feature Pavanjit Singh Bedi, Chief Marketing Officer – Foods, Hindustan Unilever; Puneeth Bekal, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, HDFC Securities; Pallavi Chakravarti, Founder and CCO, Fundamental; Aahana Kumra, actor, entrepreneur and founder of Working Panda Films; and Sanjay Singh, Chief, UNICEF Maharashtra. The session will be moderated by Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Chairperson of the Women Empowerment Committee, IAA India Chapter.
The programme will conclude with a fireside chat moderated by Megha Tata, Co-Chairperson of the Women Empowerment Committee, featuring Josy Paul, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, BBDO India.
The Voice of Change initiative was established to encourage more equitable representation across advertising, media and content by promoting gender-sensitive storytelling and challenging stereotypes through industry collaboration.
With fresh data now on the table, this year’s roundtable aims to move the conversation beyond intent and towards measurable progress, reinforcing the advertising industry’s growing role in shaping narratives that are not only more inclusive but also more reflective of the society they seek to influence.
