In the mighty Jungle: Shai Samtaney speaks about the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry

In conversation with Social Samosa, Shai Samtaney sheds light on the lack of diversity in the Indian A&M industry and the objectification of women in ads. She also talks about dealing with inflationary pressures.

Women are vastly underrepresented in the fields of direction, cinematography, editing, and ad production. 

According to a report, women comprised just 7% of cinematographers working on the top 250 grossing films of 2022. That’s up only three percent from 1998. The number of female producers hasn’t improved much either, comprising only 25% of executive producers, and 31% of producers in 2022. 

Shai Samtaney, the founder and Director at creative studio Jungle, is one of the few women in this male dominated industry who is trying to make a difference with her work. Her journey in the industry has been a fulfilling one, full of ups and downs, successes, and challenges.

Speaking about the challenges, Samtaney said, “A challenge that I've faced is the lack of diversity in the industry. There are so few women-founded production companies and creative agencies out there. It would be great to see more women in leadership roles. However, there has been a significant shift in the last few years where we are seeing more women join the film production & creative field which looking forward to is great.”

Impactful storytelling at the heart of advertising 

As a woman who has worked in the advertising industry for many years, Samtaney believes that one of the most damaging and pervasive sexist narratives that the industry needs to change is the portrayal of women as objects or commodities. 

While there has been some progress in recent years, quite a few recent campaigns have taken a stereotypical approach. 

"Women are not just objects of desire or passive recipients of products and services; they are leaders, innovators, and agents of change. They deserve to be represented in advertising in a way that reflects their diversity and complexity, and that respects their rights and dignity. Our goal as a production house is to tell stories that reflect the realities of women's lives today and to celebrate their strength, resilience, and accomplishments," said Samtaney.

Samtaney has worked on campaigns such as Mia by Tanishq's ‘This is Me’ campaign, Bhima Jewellers' bridal campaign and Kotex's ‘" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="">Own the night’ ad. These campaigns had one thing in common—they celebrated women from different walks of life.  

Speaking about what she intends to reflect in her work, Samtaney said, "Our work with these brands has allowed us to showcase our creativity and storytelling skills, while also delivering on their objectives. They have helped to break down stereotypes and challenge harmful narratives, and they have shown that advertising can be a force for positive change. However, there is still much work to be done to change the harmful narratives that still exist in the industry."

Also Read: With increasing audience, we believe diversity in brands will also come in for Women’s IPL: Rajesh Krishnamurthy

Challenges as an SMB

With the mounting inflationary pressures, many advertisers have cut down their budgets and small agencies and businesses have been facing the brunt of it. 

Samtaney said that while inflation has been a challenge for everyone, and we need to be proactive and creative in finding solutions to deal with it. 

Sharing how to deal with the pressures of macro-economic changes, Samtaney said, "One way agencies can deal with inflation is by focusing on innovation and creativity. This means looking for new and innovative ways to do things, being open to new ideas, and finding ways to deliver more value to clients while keeping costs under control." 

Another way to deal with inflation is by embracing technology and automation. 

She also told Social Samosa that how collaboration can be prove to be beneficial for small-size agencies and creative studios. 

"Finally, production companies can consider collaborating with other agencies or industry partners to share resources and reduce costs. This can help them stay competitive and deliver high-quality work without sacrificing profitability," added Samtaney. 

Evolving consumer behaviour

As consumer behaviour continue to evolve, Samtaney said Jungle is seeing a corresponding shift in client expectations when it comes to advertising. Brands are no longer content with simply showcasing their products or services; they want to create a deeper connection with their audience.

She explained that today's consumers are more discerning; looking for ads that resonate with them on a personal level and want to see stories that are authentic, relatable, and emotionally engaging. 

"Brands that can tap into these desires are the ones that are most likely to succeed," said Samtaney.

Another thing that brands are increasingly looking for in ads today is diversity and inclusivity, as they want to see ads that represent a range of perspectives and experiences, she explained. 

According to Samtaney, experiential and interactive ads are trending as brands want to create immersive experiences that allow consumers to engage with their products in new and exciting ways. 

As the landscape of creative storytelling shifts and AI becomes more mainstream, Jungle is also exploring new technologies and techniques to help its clients create new experiences.