Gender–based portrayals in magazine advertising from Hong Kong and the United States

Abstract

Advertising has portrayed women in a narrow manner for most of this century (Fawcett 1993). But, both women and men appear to be subject to traditional, limiting, and often demeaning stereotypes (Courtney and Whipple 1983). A large body of research evidence suggests that the portrayal of sex roles in advertising has not reflected either equality or reality (Gilly 1988). Since advertising often reflects contemporary societal sex role norms, it may contribute to misconceptions and stereotypes leading to a variety of undesirable social consequences (Lysonski 1985, Silverstein and Silverstein 1974), including effects on the way men and women perceive themselves (Courtney and Whipple 1983).

While it is usually acknowledged that advertising persuades and informs those exposed to it, Banerjee (1986) goes further to suggest that advertising does not just sell a product; rather, he proposes that advertising sells a way of life that products are produced to support. The consumer may thus be encouraged to obtain the lifestyle and social background within which the products themselves are demonstrated. Banerjee (1986) goes on to suggest that in an Indian context advertising influences viewers' social attitudes through this demonstration effect.