Advertising

Advertising uses images and audio for the express purpose of marketing ideas, services and things for people to consume.  Images can be as or more powerful than words in conveying messages about the roles and perceptions of men and women in society. Research related to gender equality in advertising reveals that women are underrepresented (especially when considering that they dominate purchasing); have less screen time; less speaking time; and far less words spoken associated with power and achievement (Geena Davis Institute 2017).  Advertising can have a powerful impact on the mindsets of girls and boys and girls, women and men.  Advertising continues, in many instances, to reinforce negative gender – stereotypes including objectification of women’s bodies used in the sale of various commodities. Advertising images and messaging affect the perceptions that women and girls have of their bodies and images affecting ideas of self-worth and self-esteem.  Men and boys can be similarly affected by feeling that they must live up to and adhere to the macho depictions that are presented in advertising. 

Research has demonstrated that when women and girls do not feel good about the way they look that they are very likely to opt out of important life activities; stop themselves from eating or otherwise put their health at risk; have not been assertive in their opinion or stuck to their decision; feel under pressure to never make mistakes or show weakness; and believe media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty most women can’t ever achieve and should do a better job of portraying women of diverse physical attractiveness (Unilever 2016).

The nature of the advertising industry might make it challenging to approach, however, more recently, the industry itself is demonstrating increased interest and commitment to addressing negative gender stereotypes and inequality through large-scale campaigns and initiatives.  Research conducted across 33 different categories (e.g. cosmetics, insurance, social causes), found that men continue to dominate visual and audio spots and that this discrepancy had hardly changed over a 10-year period (Geena Davis Institute, 2017). The same research also found that dialogue spoken by men was 29% and 28% more likely to be associated with words related to power and achievement. Unilever conducted a year-long audit of the advertising industry, documenting that 40% of women did not relate to the way women were portrayed in ads. Men too were portrayed in very basic and stereotypical ways (i.e. tough, rugged, heterosexual, homophobic and aggressive) (Unilever, 2016). On the contrary, the research showed that progressive ads are a quarter more effective and delivered better brand impact (UNILEVER, 2016). 

Broad recommendations for eliminating stereotypes from ads, include (World Federation of Advertisers, 2018):

• Encourage diversity in teams that are producing the ads.
• Identify where the brand can make a real difference in its supply chain, with consumers and workers to identify structural challenges that inhibit the brand from embracing and celebrating diversity.
• Go beyond gender-sensitive marketing and address other aspects of diversity (e.g. race, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, etc.) and ensure these measures run through the whole value chain, including suppliers.
• Avoid one-off or short-term initiatives (e.g. femvertising campaigns) and invest in long-term commitments that demonstrate real change.
• Track performance over time.