Gender-Differentiated Production Features in Toy Commercials

Abstract

Chandler, D., Griffiths, M. (2000). Gender-Differentiated Production Features in Toy Commercials. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 44 (3), 503-520.Twenty years ago researchers found that quite apart from the manifest content of television commercials aimed at children, certain formal features showed a marked tendency to vary according to the sex of the target consumers: in particular certain post-production features (transitions and voice-overs). The current study involved a content analysis of formal features in 117 toy advertisements broadcast on British television. Statistically significant differences were found for the same features and also for camera work.Peer reviewe

Appeals in television advertising: A content analysis of commercials aimed at children and teenagers

“…Our results are consistent with content analyses on the depiction of sex-role stereotypes in commercials, which have often found that advertisers use highly stereotypical means to attract the attention of boys and girls (Allan and Coltrane, 1996;Browne, 1998;Chandler and Griffiths, 2000). Some of these researchers have raised the concern that television advertising imposes or reinforces traditional gender stereotypes.…”

“…One method derives the age and gender of the target audiBrought to you by | Radboud University Nijmegen Authenticated Download Date | 2/1/15 12:07 PM ence from the key characters in the commercial (e. g., Welch, HustonStein, Wright, and Plehal, 1979;Winick et al, 1973). The other method is based on the coder's estimation of the target audience (e. g., Chandler and Griffiths, 2000). In this latter method, the coders consider both the nature of the advertised product and the gender and age of the key characters in the commercial.…”

“…Some of these researchers have raised the concern that television advertising imposes or reinforces traditional gender stereotypes. They argue that exposure to commercials that are sex-typed in style and content may help to establish gendered preferences for particular products and program traits (Chandler and Griffiths, 2000).…”

Gender-Role Portrayals in Children's Television Advertisements

“…As expected, advertisements with male central figures appeared significantly more active than those with female central figures. These results are in agreement with previous findings (Chandler and Griffiths, 2000;Macklin and Kolbe, 1984;Vema, 1975;Welch et al, 1979). As expected, ads with male central figures contained also more aggression behaviors than those with female central figures.…”

Progression on Nickelodeon? Gender-Role Stereotypes in Toy Commercials

“…Approximately one-fourth of the commercials include cannot code (19.8%) and mixed (6.6%) characters, reflecting the high proportion of dismembered characters or inter-age groupings; the former may be emblematic of production features in toy commercials which favor shorter and rapid shots, pacing, and transitions (Chandler and Griffiths 2000).…”