Gender Role Portrayals in Indian Television Ads

Abstract

318 randomly selected television ads from India (from 2004) in three different languages (English, Hindi, and Tamil) were content analyzed to examine both the frequency of appearance and prevalence of gender stereotypes. Results indicate that there are more male than female central characters and voiceovers in Indian ads; stereotypical differences were also found in the type of credibility used by men and women, and the nature of the products they advertised and settings that males and females appeared in. Female central characters tended to be younger than their male counterparts and were more likely to be portrayed in relationship roles. Similarities and differences in gender role portrayals found in Indian television ads and those from other nations are also discussed.

Co-Constructions of Gender and Ethnicity in New Zealand Television Advertising

“…Summarising key findings from comparable studies across five continents, Furnham and Mak (1999) noted that while male characters have traditionally outnumbered female characters in television advertising, women are now more evident in key visual roles and there is currently some inconsistency in the international research on this issue (Das, 2011). However, women remain concentrated in product categories relating to the home, food preparation, personal care and the body, while men are more often seen in advertisements for financial products (Ganahl, Prinsen & Netzley, 2003, US) and non-domestic products, particularly those related to automobiles and sports (Bartsch et al, 2000;Ganahl et.…”

Through the looking-glass: Exploring the wonderland of ‘other’ female portrayals in advertising

“…This prevalence indicates that South African advertisers feature female portrayals that do not fit into commonly identified categories. While previous studies indicated an "other" category (Das 2011;Ferguson et al 1990;Milner and Higgs 2004;Sullivan and O'Connor 1988), they did not explore the depictions within it. In this study, the exploration of "other" portrayals identified four new female roles: leisure woman, sportswoman, spokesperson and customer; each representing newly portrayed, atypical dimensions of the modern South African woman.…”

“…Table 1 presents a summary of role categories over the decades since the 1970s (focusing on portrayals of adults). (Bretl and Cantor 1988;Ferrante et al 1988;Sullivan and O'Connor 1988) (Ferguson et al 1990;Mazzella et al 1992;Mwangi 1996;RudanskyKloppers 1991;Siu and Au 1997;Wee et al 1995) (Bolliger 2008;Collins 2011;Das 2011;Furnham and Paltzer 2010;Koerning and Granitz 2006;Milner 2005;Plakoyiannaki and Zotos 2009;Razzouk et al 2003 (Ferguson et al 1990;Mazzella et al 1992;Siu and Au 1997;Wee et al 1995) (Das 2011;Furnham and Paltzer 2010;Milner 2005) The categories in Table 1 Some studies note a category of "other"; however, none reports further examination of the depictions within it. The "other" category thus represents an opportunity to analyse atypical depictions and possibly reveal new roles.…”

“…Although elements of the interviewer/narrator in previous research (Das 2011;Furnham and Paltzer 2010) are encompassed in the spokesperson role, it generally referred to the voice-over in the advertisement, which could be authoritative or not. Plakoyiannaki andZotos (2009, 1417) coded a role category "voice of authority", which was succinctly defined as "the expert" in their United Kingdom study.…”

Diferencias de género en el contenido icónico de los periódicos

“…Se trata de un área importante dentro del estudio de las diferencias de género en los medios de comunicación, ya que tradicionalmente se ha asociado la masculinidad con el deporte (Aulette, Wittner y Blakely, 2009). Y son muchos los estudios que han reconocido que la representación de mujeres y hombres en los medios de comunicación se hace de forma estereotipada según el género (cfrs., Arima, 2003;Das, 2011;Furnham y Mark, 1999;Paek et al, 2011;Prieler et al, 2011).…”