There was a time when beauty pageants drew throngs of people to sit in front of their television screens, cheering contestants and celebrating the winners. These ladies stood at the confluence of culture, popular appeal, and femininity. Over the years, the ideals of a ‘beauty queen’ have evolved and are no longer about an appealing face with great talent. Pageant winners these days are emblematic of diversity and inclusion with a promise that one’s identity matters, no matter where they come from and what they look like. The spectrum of entries for VLCC presents Femina Miss India 2022 that came through India’s number one short video app, Moj, shows us that the horizon to get creative now has broadened, and today’s young ladies are not afraid to speak their minds.
When two of the most dynamic brands that have been known to cause disruption and set standards for Indian youth come together, magic happens. Femina Miss India and Moj’s partnership was a testament to this. Together, they provided a unique opportunity to pageant aspirants to showcase their talents in the most creative, original, and off-beat format online. A nationwide virtual talent hunt formed the first leg of the selection process as women in the age group of 18-25 years from metros, Tier 1 and 2 cities auditioned for the pageant exclusively via the Moj app. The campaign started on the 14th of February, and entries remained open till the 25th of March.
As a part of the entry process, aspirants uploaded their audition videos on Moj, which included an introduction, a talent showcase, and a ramp walk. The app powered by an easy UI allowed the participants to make the content uniquely on their own and reflect their personalities as they chose cool, quirky features to make themselves stand out. The entries saw many interesting introductions and some jaw-dropping talent showcases from all nooks and corners of the country.
A quick search for the #MissIndiaAuditions2022 reveals an astounding 1.72 million+ User Generated Content was created on the app, wherein 248.8k content creators and beauty enthusiasts participated. The entries garnered 28 million+ video plays and 184 million likes in a month, and each of the participants now has their own devoted fan following on the platform. Through this audition, a total of 31 State Winners will make it to the next round.
The process created millions of beauty ambassadors that reflected the beliefs of both brands. The new-age sensibilities and the youth appeal of Moj and Femina Miss India’s vision to empower youth and represent the rest of the country to the world formed a perfect amalgamation. We now eagerly wait to see the state winners and how they perform in the later rounds. The top finalists from each state will be announced between the 13th-17th of April, and the state-wise winners will be announced on the 30th of April 2022 after careful consideration of different aspects by a panel of renowned jury.
Moj’s partnership with Femina Miss India 2022 gave aspirants the right push to showcase their talents and work towards achieving their dream of representing India in front of the world. Moj’s creator-first approach enables millions of Indians to find their vibe and tribe on the app. The platform’s philosophy of shining the spotlight on its creators makes for an empowered ecosystem where showcasing talent can be a sustainable ‘career choice.’