Representations of women in advertising

 Academic reading: A Critical Analysis of Progressive Depictions of Gender in Advertising

1) How does Mistry suggest advertising has changed since the mid-1990s?

In the mid 1990s advertising has increasingly employed images in which the gender and sexual orientation of the subjects are markedly (and purposefully) ambiguous. There are also a growing number of distinctly homosexual images

2) What kinds of female stereotypes were found in advertising in the 1940s and 1950s?

women were suffering their own identity crisis, idea of women having their own plans and careers; but soon after 1945, women were made to feel guilty by warnings of the 'dangerous consequences to the home. The highest good is keeping house and raising children, that women would be purchasing such goods for the household

3) How did the increasing influence of clothes and make-up change representations of women in advertising?

It led to women being increasingly portrayed as decorative (empty) objects

4) Which theorist came up with the idea of the 'male gaze' and what does it refer to?

Mulvey male gaze looking as a male activity, and being looked at as a female passivity.

5) How did the representation of women change in the 1970s?

supposed to be 'independent, confident and assertive, finding satisfaction in the world of work and recreation, seeking excitement, adventure and fulfilment.

6) Why does van Zoonen suggest the 'new' representations of women in the 1970s and 1980s were only marginally different from the sexist representations of earlier years?

 van Zoonen points to its claim that: A woman should look forward to dressing for the office. Having a job is seen merely to provide 'another happy occasion for women to dress up and present themselves which shows that is not a lot different for representation of women in the earlier years

7) What does Barthel suggest regarding advertising and male power?

Barthel notes that today's young women can successfully storm the bastions of male power without threatening their male counterparts. In other words, that there is no real threat to male power.

8) What does Richard Dyer suggest about the 'femme fatale' representation of women in adverts such as Christian Dior make-up?

Women can use Christian Dior make-up to make themselves sexually attractive - and that her sexuality is for her own enjoyment. Richard Dyer however, claims that such images are something of a misrepresentation of women's liberation

Media Magazine: Beach Bodies v Real Women (MM54)

1) What was the Protein World 'Beach Bodies' campaign and why was it controversial?

A campaign for women to look the best for the beach this summer. It was controversial as it invited readers to think about their figures and did not consider the image of the model would shame women who had different body shapes

2) What was the Dove Real Beauty campaign?

A campaign of different bodies, races and ages where women can decide what they think as beautiful not the advertisers

3) How has social media changed the way audiences can interact with advertising campaigns? 

One aim of a marketing campaign is to get people talking. Protein World have certainly managed that – but at what cost? cost? How many people will now boycott Protein World’s products? On the other hand, it has now made the whole world familiar with the brand – had you heard of it before the campaign?

4) How can we apply van Zoonen's feminist theory and Stuart Hall's reception theory to these case studies?
 

As van zoonens theory represents how the media can shape and form ur gender and Stuart hall focuses on how audiences interpret media texts 


5) Through studying the social and historical context of women in advertising, do you think representations of women in advertising have changed in the last 60 years?

Yes, I think that women in advertising has changed through various campaigns as in the 1960s women were seen as submissive and a mother, staying at home and also was sexualised but now we are seeing women at work but also still some sexualisation