CARS24’s ‘Dowry collection’ campaign challenges traditions, sparks debate

In its bid to challenge negative social traditions, CARS24 launched a campaign titled ‘Dowry collection’ to spotlight the prevailing social malpractices around dowry. By leveraging humour and a digital experience, it has sparked a nationwide conversation on a deeply ingrained social issue.

Every year, CARS24 stated that it is asked about the best cars to gift at weddings. This year, it decided to confront the uncomfortable reality behind those questions.

"As a team that has always believed in cars as symbols of freedom and progress, it pains us to see them tied to something as regressive as dowry. It’s 2024, yet cars are still demanded as 'wedding gifts', perpetuating a practice that harms countless lives," the company stated.

It also found that 1 woman dies every hour due to dowry-related violence and 40% of all crimes against women in India are dowry-related. Sadly, 93% of Indian households feel dowry is necessary for a wedding.

“At CARS24, we’ve always believed in standing up for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable. This campaign wasn’t perfect, but it sparked conversations that needed to happen. And sometimes, starting the dialogue is the hardest, but most important step,” the company said.

As wedding bells ring this season, the autotech platform reminds society that true progress begins by challenging outdated customs and embracing values that uplift relationships and communities. ‘The Dowry Collection’ campaign is a clever mix of satire and wit, seeking to disrupt the normalisation of gifting cars as dowry. This trend has increasingly become a part of wedding season traditions.

The campaign invites users to browse a ‘curated collection of cars for dowry’, mimicking the allure of traditional dowry practices. However, upon entering their preferences, users are met with a powerful message: “Sorry, the only car we have for dowry is an ‘In-Car [Denial]’. Dowry is not a custom; it’s a crime. Break the chain.”

This sudden shift from playful engagement to a hard-hitting truth is designed to make users pause and reflect on the harmful implications of dowry, urging them to reject the practice altogether. CAR24 designed the entire campaign in-house.

Campaign’s take: CARS24’s ‘The Dowry Collection’ campaing is a bold attempt to tackle the pervasive dowry system, a tradition that continues to cast a shadow over Indian weddings. Using satire, it highlights how gifting cars as dowry has been normalised, particularly during the wedding season. By presenting a mock ‘curated collection’ of dowry cars and delivering the stark message, ‘Dowry is not a custom; it’s a crime’, the campaign provokes a much-needed conversation on this ingrained social malpractice.

The issue is far from trivial. According to 2022 data from the National Crime Records Bureau, there were 13,479 cases under the Dowry Prohibition Act and a staggering 6,450 dowry-related deaths. Despite a slight decline in these figures, the statistics remain deeply troubling.

CARS24’s campaign urges families to shift their focus to love and equality over material exchanges cloaked in cultural tradition. In an age of doomscrolling, this initiative has successfully triggered discourse across social media.

While many have applauded its bold messaging, others question whether a commercial entity should tackle such a sensitive issue. Nevertheless, ‘The Dowry Collection’ stands out for disrupting complacency, sparking awareness, and urging societal introspection—one clever denial at a time.