Jindal Stainless' campaign takes on societal issues of child labour and women inequality

Jindal Stainless’ ज़ंग (Corrosion) warrior brand campaign aims at building skills for sustainable societal change by showcasing a positive social impact on the lives of fabricators through the company’s Stainless Academy initiative. The Academy aims to develop an ecosystem that drives awareness and appropriate adoption of stainless steel, under which the stainless steel manufacturer provides free fabrication training to fabricators.

The campaign was launched to coincide with the ‘World day against child labour’ and is part of the larger ‘Jindal Saathi 5.0’ project. It includes three videos that put the spotlight on prevalent social issues in India such as women inequality, social injustice, besides child labour.

The videos unravel the emotional stories of individuals who found a path to economic independence and self-reliance through the Stainless Academy. The first video highlights how the programme empowers women to achieve economic independence and break gender barriers in the fabrication industry.

The second focuses on equipping fabricators with skill sets to build a brighter future for themselves and their families by ensuring their children's well-being and education, in turn helping eradicate child labour. The third video, meanwhile, showcases the opportunities created through these fabricator training programmes for individuals from underprivileged backgrounds to gain acceptance and respect in the society.

Talking about the campaign, Jindal Stainless managing director Abhyuday Jindal, said, “At Jindal Stainless, we believe everyone deserves a chance to build a successful future for themselves and their families. The ज़ंग  campaign is an expression of this core value and is dedicated to all those warriors who are fighting against societal evils.”

He added that more than 32,000 fabricators have benefitted from the Stainless Academy’s initiatives to empower individuals to overcome social barriers and achieve self-reliance. The company plans to target another 16,000 fabricators in FY25 alone. “By upskilling fabricators and enhancing their quality of life, we are committed to strengthening the entire ecosystem, especially the downstream industry,” Jindal added.

Campaign’s take: Most brands focus their marketing on demonstrating the practical value and utility of their products. By talking about its efforts to bring about positive change in society at large, Jindal’s ज़ंग campaign hits the right spot.

The ad effectively conveys a wealth of meaning in a brief by focusing on human stories and how Jindal Stainless is attempting to combat societal ज़ंग or corrosion from society. It imperceptibly draws a parallel between the inherent qualities of stainless steel and its resistance to corrosion and how technical skilling can strengthen broader social empowerment.

The series concludes by urging collective action for social change, ending on a hopeful note about the impact of skill development and community empowerment. Through it all, the Jindal’s brand presence takes a supportive backseat throughout; a tough stance for many conglomerates that like to be up front and center in a campaign.