Gender Representation in Advertising Essay -- Marketing Gender Role

Gender Representation in Advertising The roles of males and females in society have significantly changed, as opposed to the predominant roles in our history. In the modern culture of today, women have begun to break out of the mold that which society has placed her in. This much can’t be said when it comes to modern gender representation in mass media advertising. It can be safe to state that woman are seen as sexual, fragile, exotic—whereas men are portrayed as tough, in control, and aggressive. This trend can be one seen as an inhibitor to the advancement of our culture, because especially for women, it is hard to pull away from the stereotypes that are continuously represented. As examples of the given trend, the following images help to reinforce. As an advertisement for Michael Kors apparel, the first image immediately gives off a sexual energy. The model is presented in a very suggestive pose, with her bare legs spread apart, only wearing a long sleeved tunic. The message to the viewing public is clear—these are the kind of woman that wear this apparel, and if you wish to look like her, buy Michael Kors. As a re-iteration of presented thesis, sexuality and a woman’s body image is manifested throughout the ad. The physical beauty of this individual is the central focus. The following image continues in the line of sex appeal with a makeup ad. A bold caption reads â€Å"Eye Candy†, with the model in a very suggestive position and expression. A question that comes to mind when viewing this image is—who is this ad really geared towards? It would be assumed that a makeup ad would be created to attract females, so why would it need to be sexual? What this ad really attracts is the male eye, and woman realiz... ...wage gap of 77%, with females only making on average of 77% what a male makes. On the other hand, the number of women-owned firms in the United States has doubled in number from 1987 to 1999, according to a study by the National Foundation for Women Business Owners, which is a positive aspect. In light of all this, I believe that if advertisers tried something new by not using sexuality to sell a product, it might turn over a whole new leaf. Works Cited â€Å"U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2005 Annual Social and Economic Supplement.† Infoplease. © 2000–2006 Pearson Education, publishing as Infoplease. 27 Oct. 2006 . Gettings, John, David Johnson, Borgna Brunner, and Chris Frantz. â€Å"Wonder Women Profiles of leading female CEOs and business executives† Infoplease.  © 2000–2006 27