...2011 Examination of Gender Role Portrayals in Television & Commercials 2011 Examination of Gender Role Portrayals in Television & Commercials Examination of Gender Role Portrayals in Television & Commercials It is nearly impossible to be able to measure the impact television has had on our society and culture. Since its creation, the television has been a powerful medium of advertising and influence as its popularity and audience has grown at a tremendous rate. The influence of the television has continued to grow and has helped to formulate and mold our perceptions of society. One of those areas where it has had the most influence has been in aiding to set the perceptions of gender roles in our society. One of the points this article makes is that commercials aired on television sets across the world, have had a major impact on our perceptions of gender roles in our society. The persuasiveness of commercials has been evident for decades. From a very young age, we are subjected to norms and standards for how each gender should act. Advertisers carefully create their TV ads to send a particular message about gender, playing up the norms people have come to know and enforce. Even our values and beliefs are sometimes based on what is seen on television, commercials included. Without even being aware of it, our mind, and perception of what roles we should play, are influenced by the commercials and television shows...
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...Running Head: Analysis of 1960s gendered media norms from the perspective of the 1960s and 2000s Analysis of 1960s gendered media norms from the perspective of the 1960s and 2000s Univers Communications 30 Gendered film norms from the 1960s and 2000s: An Introduction From its most primitive years, popular films have discussed the part of gendered norms both on screen and as viewers. Actually, emphasizing its significance to different account and standard patterns, violence against women has been conceptualized as immanent in typical Hollywood and all over more recent popular cinema. Various feminist film theorists have judged conventional filmmaking as comprised of creation and display practices imbricate in a certain set of social and political power relationships. In the procedure, these writers have proposed complicated expression of the relationships between filmic representations and cinema's place in society. The mainstream feminist film theory that grew in the 1970s depended on the idea of cinematic equipment by the help of which film technologies interrelated with the ideological determinants of the cinematic associations. In her work, most remarkably the essay, "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," (1975) Laura Mulvey stressed the problem of the female aspects in classical Hollywood and, particularly, in films of Josef von Sternberg and Alfred Hitchcock. Female spectators are presented with a choice to make out with either a male character or secondary...
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...marketing and ethics? Well, they are deep and potentially detrimental to society, if certain ethical standards are not met. According to Grewal and Levy (2011), firms use segmentation, targeting and positioning to develop marketing strategy and segments its customers in many ways and one of them is demographics (Grewal & Levy, p. 232). Demographic (age, gender, race, income, education etc.) segmentation puts consumers into groups according to easily measured objective characteristics such as age, gender, income and education (Grewal and Levy p. 232). Now lets look at some examples of the use of demographics to market products and services to consumers. I was never an Amazon fan until one day in 2011 I received an email with free Amazon Mom subscription for six months. I signed up immediately because it would make me eligible for free two-day shipping and 20% discount on diapers and baby formulas. Amazon targeted me solely because of my wife being nine months pregnant. Now, I am a loyal Amazon customer shopping for almost anything and everything. Grewal and Levy (2011) gives an excellent example of the use of gender as a marketing strategy to market products and service to men and women (p. 233). For example, TV viewing habits very significantly between men and women. Men tend to channel surf, switching quickly from one to another and watch prime time shows more often, if they are action oriented and have physically attractive cast members. On the other hand Women tend...
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...SHOCK APPEAL IN ADVERTISING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF CONSUMERS PERCEPTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION Due to globalization and competitiveness in business, organizations roll out different commercials in other to break through the advertising clutter so as to be noticed by the consumers thereby subjecting them to thousands of adverts on daily basis. As a result, they exceed what is considered ethical and the commercial is considered to be very provocative. This has lead to the aim of this research which is to unravel how consumers perceive provocative advertising when shock appeal is used as a conductor. According to Pickton and Broderick (2005), they opined that advertising is a form of communication used to influence individuals to purchase products or services, support ideas and pass relevant information or caution across to the targeted audience. In delivering those messages highlighted above, ad agency adopts different appeals that can help them reach large number of the targeted audience without encountering high cost. Such appeals adopted are rational appeals, emotional appeals, sex appeal, fear or anger appeal etc. However, for the course of this research, emphasis will be laid on shock appeals . 1.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE To identify shock commercials strategies and the extent organization use them. To define shock advertising and why organization use them. To identify the relationship between consumer perception of shock commercial. Using gender and age of target audience...
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...Mini literature review The Question How do the heroes smoking in supernatural effect the perception of smoking as a social norm in young people today. Stereotyping the Smoker: Adolescents' Appraisals of Smokers in Film McCool, J. P., Cameron, L., & Petrie, K. (2004). Stereotyping the smoker: Adolescents' appraisals of smokers in film. Tobacco Control, 13(3), 308-314. This is a research article on how to asses demographic factors and film smoking stereotypes in adolescents and the potential influence of smoker stereotypes on smoking susceptibility. They based this study on different demographics such as ethnicity, and gender. Using two groups aged 12 and 16 they conducted a questionnaire. They found that younger adolescents and males where more likely to view smoking in image based stereotypes; While older adolescents and females where more likely to see them in emotional stereotypes. Well finding correlations in both for an increased susceptibility to smoking the image based stereotypes where stronger. But both groups where seeing smoking as an accepted norm either to look cool or sexy, or as a relaxer when stressed or depressed. Interesting to note was that susceptible non-smokers and young adolescence where more likely to report greater time spent watching films. They concluded with that although adolescent group differences are important to appraisals of smokers in film, image stereotypes were found to be associated with smoking susceptibility. Adolescent perceptions...
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...Final Project Proposal This paper aims to explore how humor, a site of construction of gender identity and power relation, is employed by both males and females to negotiate their power relations and either subvert or confirm their gender roles. I believe this topic is of particular interest because though a number of studies have been conducted to examine the relation between gender practice and occupational practice, and ways of constructing gender roles via humor. Concentration is rarely deployed on humor use by males and females at workplace. This review is important because there is a growing number of female practitioners participating in different sectors and industries. They are frequently confronted with paradoxical situations of their gender role of feminity and their professional competence and leadership, usually tagged with masculinity. This paper will offer some insights to professional females about how they can resolve such paradoxes at their workplace through the employment of humor. Besides, this topic is of particular interest because it can be seen through the review of the body of literature, that the meaning and effect of humor, as a linguistic means can never be captured nicely. It can have different functions in different context, which is in accordance with the “ambiguity” and “polysemy”put forward by Tannen (1993), so this paper will probes into the fluidity and ambivalency of this linguistic means. Moreover, one big context in this review...
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...Sociology of Gender Gender is defined as the social distinctions between masculinity and femininity. People often use the terms gender and sex interchangeably. The former is defined above, whereas the latter is defined as a determination of male or female on the basis of a set of socially agreed-upon biological criteria. Music Videos such as Stupid Girls and If I Were A Boy by singers Pink and Beyonce respectively demonstrate clearly the assumptions or categorizations we evoke simply by using the terms girl or boy. Although the topic of gender in sociology is vast, this paper focuses on how gender is reproduced and how the gendered body is displayed in society. There are three ways in which gender is reproduced in society. It is reproduced through the family, education and the media. From birth begins gendered expectations. According to the social norm, the color pink is mainly associated as a feminine color and the color blue masculine. Family and friends who go to see the birth of a baby girl fill the hospital room with pink balloons, teddy bears with pink ribbons and if a boy was born the room would be filled with presents which are blue in color. Growing up, girls receive presents such dollhouses and kitchen sets which reinforce their femininity. Parents raise their boys and girls differently. Even though research shows that boys at an early age (around 2 years) are just as interested in playing with the same toys girls play...
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...The fashion industry has always challenged stereotypes. When gender norms are challenged, it becomes a hot topic of discussion. The designers of Gucci & Yves Saint Laurent, Alessandro Michele and Hedi Slimane respectively have been dressing lads like lassies (and vice versa) for several seasons. Last month, Louis Vuitton’s designer, Nicolas Ghesquiere, signed up the 17 year old Hollywood actor, Jaden Smith to star in the advertising campaign for their recently launched ‘Series 4’ womenswear collection for Spring-Summer 2016. Jaden Smith has been very proactive in breaking the Gender Barriers in fashion. Not only did he feature in Louis Vuitton’s Advertising campaign for their SS16 womenswear collection, but has also been quite active on social...
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...beauty” and culture norms, that when we see a huge billboard with a slim skinny women with big breasts on it, we think to ourselves this is what we have to look like to be accepted or to be able to be to be pictured on a billboard. I am not saying these women aren’t beautiful, but when most mainstream images push one narrow definition of beauty, and how women should be perceived, it also suggests that women who don’t look like that are not important....
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...This article is a detailed, academically supported body of work, designed to retort the following questions: How and why are semantically sexualised women used as a perceptive marketing stunt’ and ‘what role does the media play in legitimizing gender discrepancies through framing and cultivation strategies? Coaxed by the issue of female objectification in the mass media, the following research was conducted both practically, and theoretically, to overtly annunciate the social and democratic problems associated with advertised female subordination. The relative research involves a semiotic analysis of two sources, coupled with a survey of 40 candidates of varying ages. Furthermore, theoretical mechanisms of media framing and cultivation have been deconstructed throughout this article to uncover the impact of magnified female subordination on the domestic expectations of children and young adults. Through the collection of data, it was able to be conclusively recognized the impact of objectification on social attitudes. Results had shown the many conceptions concerning the female purpose, these include; a woman’s role as a domestic and sexual slave to her male partner. Through the convergence of data, semiotic analysis and academic theory, it may be meticulously understood how female objectification in the mass media is a social complication in the construction of an egalitarian future. ‘Women’s bodies are predominantly valued for its use to others’ Fredrickson & Roberts 1997 ...
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...Running head: THE EFFECTS OF MEDIA IN SOCIALIZATION The Effects of Media in the Socialization of Children and Young Adults The Effects of Media in the Socialization of Children and Young Adults The media today are a powerful tool in modifying the behavior of children and young adults. This behavior can be seen as negative or positive depending on the situation. Children’s development is influenced by many factors but as Lund (2003) noted the significance of the mass media cannot be overstated: “The accumulated experience of media exposure contributes to the cultivation of a child’s values, beliefs, dreams, and expectations, which shape the adult identity a child will carry and modify through his or her life.” Studies investigating Social Learning Theory, done by Baker (2007, p.26) have consistently reported that children can model roles and behaviors seen on television. Media play a significant role in the socialization process, body image, and moral judgments in children and adolescents. Cartoons on television are some of the first factors of socialization in a child’s life. Although many adults feel that cartoons are obviously fantastical, unrealistic, and therefore harmless to children, the research evidence proves otherwise. “According to developmental literature, children before the age of ten years often have difficulty differentiating between reality and fantasy”(Baker...
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...1. Sean Lang 2. MKT 115 –Sec 770 3. April 27, 2014 4. Gender Stereotyping in Advertisements 5. 1550 6. I am highly motivated, and I am committed to excellence. Advertising Gender Stereotypes Gender Stereotyping in advertisements happen all around us. Whether it is a commercial, billboard or a magazine, advertisements are everywhere. Gender stereotypes happen at an early age that includes children. Children’s advertisements implant the very gender roles that are portrayed in today’s society. Creating specific gender products is also creating large profits for companies. When first thinking of gender stereotyping in advertisements one might think of the negative aspect first and not realize that there are positive ways to advertise to specific genders for purchasing products. By using these gender specific advertisements, companies can sell products more efficiently. Advertising to children at an early age can play a significant role in shaping the expected role for him/her in today’s society. There are many examples that can clearly outline gender stereotyping. In many instances someone might not catch it because it is so normal in today’s culture. Monica Brasted is a psychologist and observed her child when the two of them went to McDonalds one day. Monica’s little girl was upset because she didn’t get the toy she wanted. “When I asked her what was wrong she asked why the woman had given her a care bear when she wanted a transformer” (Brasted). This then brought...
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...when determining basic guidelines for acceptable practices in society. The influence of these individuals, specifically celebrities, can be seen most often in younger generations. As young adults mature, they begin to develop a strong sense of independence. With this new found self-identity, many adolescents look to media outlets for guidance in establishing social norms and behaviors. It is extremely evident that media outlets have the power to create meaning. Image advertisements in particular have the power to create a set of frames that perpetuate ideological hegemony. Ideology is a culmination of social beliefs and values that are upheld by members of society. Hegemony is the power or dominance that one social group holds over others (Lull, 1995). Ideological hegemony is a concept that describes an intertwined system of everyday realities that are created by dominant individuals. As a result, ideological hegemony can often go undetected by common members of society. For example, ideological hegemony can be detected in image advertisements. Gender stereotypes and dominant norms are often perpetuated in daily advertisements. Clothing advertisers often feature young women and men and exaggerate potential sexual relationships. This could indicate the importance of heterosexuality, and the importance of beauty in our society. Due to the amount of messages an individual sees on a daily basis, these common stereotypes are not as obvious to the American...
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...its audience to perceive reality, using this we can see how manipulation occurs through simple advertising campaigns. The more we interact with media, the more accepting we are of the social reality presented (Gauntlett, D.2008). We want to believe our reality is ‘objective’ when in fact it is ‘subjective’ (McQuail, D. 2010). McQuail argues that our perspective is our reality; Jeffres expands upon this by explaining that mass media acts as an “authority to provide us with an interpretation of reality, explanation, personal opinions and even instructions on how to understand it” (Jeffres, L.W. 2001). Gauntlett believes that on a subconscious level, we seek such an authority to provide us with a framework to perceive reality. Through advertising we see that mass media has the ability to manipulate its audience. Advertising utilises many psychological principals based on research and depending on its target audience, persuades viewers into believing they ‘must’ have the product advertised. A great amount of resources are invested for that purpose as Gauntlett explains; by controlling ones imagination one can rule over others. It’s simplistic when we consider how tired and over worked we are in the 21st century. It’s easy for an exhausted audience to trust “the media and the information they provide” (McQuail, D. 2012). Almost everything we are presented with is a form of advertising in some way...
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...The discourse of advertising 1. What is advertising? Advertising is ubiquitous – it is the air we breathe as we live our daily lives (Jhally, 1995: 79). Advertising is a prevalent phenomenon nowadays that has gained the attention and interest of a large number of individuals in different societies around the world. People are exposed to the advertising process wherever they are. Advertising is not only an ‘ideal tool’ for reaching people economically, but it is a device of attaining and maintaining contact with persons socially, culturally, politically and even psychologically. Therefore, advertising is neither an innocent way of selling products nor the primary factor which changes society’s attitudes and behaviour so as to fulfil its ends and economic purposes. According to Harris and Seldon (1962: 40 apud Vestergaard & Schroder, 1985: 2), advertising is defined as a public notice “designed to spread information with a view to promoting the sales of marketable goods and services”. From this perspective, advertising exists “to help to sell things” (White, 2000: 5), which is limited to giving utilitarian information about the product with the objective of informing the consumer about the necessity and the importance of the commodity advertised. Besides, according to Nicosia (1974 apud Sheehan, 2004: 2-3), to advertise means “to give notice, to inform, to notify or to make known”. He goes on and suggests that a successful advertisement should include...
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