Language of Advertisement - Case Study Example

 Television has proven itself to be among the most important media for advertising directed toward children. Growing research has demonstrated not only the tremendous effectiveness of this mode of advertising, but also a possibility that the language used in these advertisements serves to reinforce traditional gender stereotypes and gender roles among children from an early age. This possibility is reinforced by the dual audience to whom these advertisements appeal. Not only are these toys marketed to children, but parents watching what their children watch are influenced by the concepts of what they hope their children will become. For example, when language used in advertisements designed for boys reinforces concepts of strength and career or those designed for girls emphasize concepts of motherhood and housewife, gender roles are being reinforced for both the parent and the child. However, growing attention into the effects of violence in the media on young children and the development of the mind suggests that perhaps these strong gender roles used in toy advertisements are no longer employed as openly. In order to determine whether the language used in advertisements for children presents specific gender roles, six advertisements appearing during a particular mid-afternoon show on a children’s television network entitled Nickelodeon were analyzed in terms of lexis, semantics and phonology. While all of the advertisements are for toys and do function to appeal to the parent in some way, there remain significant differences in the types of toys marketed to boys versus girls as well as in the language used. In this analysis, lexis refers to the use of adjectives, common nouns, verbs and other specific words; semantics refers to the denotation, connotation and language change used; and phonology refers to the rhythm, alliteration and repetition of words. The analysis of these six advertisements in terms of lexis, semantics and phonology does indeed demonstrate traditional gender stereotypes and societal roles are being reinforced through today’s advertising. Advertisements for toys targeted to boys’ use include a great deal of competitive energy and expected momentum. For example, in an advertisement for Biker Mice, boys are encouraged to be strong, invincible fighting forces with nerves of steel based upon the specific words selected for the toy’s description. The name of the toy itself brings up connotations of frightening men (or rather creatures) on motorbikes. They are described as ‘cool’ bandits who battle endlessly from their ‘extreme’ bikes. These are not weekend cyclists but eternal soldiers, always on the move, always protecting and always fighting to remain on top. This continuous action is translated into the traditional male gender roles in terms of expectations as a bread-winner or successful competitor in some fashion. Hot Wheels also emphasizes the traditional male gender role expectations for constant action in its advertisement for “the new Typhoon with incredible speed.” Concepts of fearless protectors are conveyed through other adjectives used, including ‘outrageous’ and ‘awesome’ to describe the stunts and jumps achieved with this toy. The name of the toy itself illustrates this gender-based concept of movement in the nature of the word itself – Typhoon equals a mass of swirling air that ceases to be a typhoon when it ceases to move. Even in toys as innocent-seeming as Thomas the Tank and Friends, advertisements demonstrate significant reinforcement of traditional gender-based roles. Blue and silver are the two dominant colours mentioned in association with the concepts of useful and in terms of having a shine. As blue is often used to denote male children, its intended association with ‘useful’ cannot be missed. The word ‘shine’ speaks to parents who hope their children will shine out among other children to be a huge success. By contrast, advertisements for toys geared for girls consistently present traditional gender roles emphasizing ideals of motherhood and outward beauty. The concept that girls must stick together in supporting roles to one another is suggested in the words used through the advertisement for a Singing Ariel the Mermaid doll. These include ‘concert’, which is meant to suggest a performance but also brings a parent’s mind around to concepts of teamwork, and the injunction “Let’s sing together”. Through this communal behaviour, girls are associated with the word ‘princess’, which is what every parent wants for their darling daughter. Glitter Swirl Fairies, another type of creature offered from the dreamy fairy tales of old, is another toy that was marketed during the program. This advertisement focused on the ‘glitter’, ‘sparkle’ and ‘playful’ nature of the toys. Through this presentation, girls are encouraged to also glitter, sparkle and be playful, rather than the more serious competitive nature of the toys seen advertised to boys. Through her glittery, sparkly, playful spirit, the fairy is able to fly, a suggestion to parents, much as the suggestion made in the Thomas the Tank advertisement, that their dreams of their daughters becoming the belle of the ball in later years might come true. Even when real-world creatures are presented, the emphasis remains on the value of outward beauty. An advertisement for Tawny, a doll-sized horse designed for use with traditional Barbie dolls, opens with the line, “Be beautiful Tawny.” This statement is backed up with the injunctions for Tawny to ‘be stylish’ and then to ‘be loved.’ While the toy walks like a real horse, this fact is mentioned only toward the end of the advertisement, placing function well below beauty and reinforcing the concept that girls must be beautiful in order to have value. The semantics of these advertisements further support the traditional gender roles expected. In the advertisement for Thomas the Tank talking engines, for example, one engine mentions that “blue is the only colour for a really useful engine” while another claims “my silver paint shines the brightest.” In this interchange, not only does competition emerge as a large factor in determining the value of each engine, but the concept that boys are expected to be both useful and to shine are each conveyed on several levels to the boys and their parents. The name of the toy being advertised can also introduce a whole range of meaning within an advertisement, such as that of the Hot Wheels Typhoon. When the advertisement mentions ‘incredible speed’, the name of the toy brings to mind images of power beyond understanding which is then reinforced by the ‘awesome’ jumps that can be made. These ‘outrageous stunts’ and ‘awesome jumps’ also conjure up concepts of extreme sports heroes melded to the concepts of power and action brought out by thoughts of a typhoon and the idea of speed to present a composite picture of a very successful young man in the mind of a parent. Even the somewhat controversial Biker Mice serve to reinforce traditional male-based gender roles. While they are presented as the somewhat frightening gang of rebels associated with the concept of a biker, they are also the self-sacrificing eternal soldiers for good in the universe. The fact that they are always ready to fight is emphasized by the special nighttime equipment to help them fight against their evil counterparts at any time they may be called. This reinforces the concept that a man’s job is to protect, serve and remain in the working world. In addition, there is apparently no reward or true personal glory to be gained from the job the Biker Mice perform, emphasizing the concept that men must struggle to protect others regardless of what that might mean to his own feelings, well-being or preferences. Semantics also function in the girls’ advertisements to reinforce traditional concepts of feminine ideals. In a commercial for a singing Ariel the Mermaid doll, much is made of the importance of a good singing voice to the value of a girl. It is, in fact, the only important thing mentioned about Ariel’s talents throughout the entire advertisement. Girls are encouraged to sing along with her, fostering behaviour that melds with the traditional ideal of women as objects of beauty and aesthetic pleasure. The advertisement mentions the mermaid doll is packaged with an additional ball gown and necklace, again emphasizing the concept of beauty with little to no concern for other talents or abilities. The advertisement for the Glitter Swirl Fairies has a similar effect of encouraging girls to be frivolous by concentrating upon the outward beauty of the glittering swirls made on their wings. Girls are again actively encouraged to participate in those activities deemed to be socially acceptable for girls in the artistic act of painting the magic glitter swirls into the wings which gives the fairies the power to fly. While the power of glitter is placed in the hands of the child, the advertisement remains focused on the aesthetic pleasure of the toy rather than the function. The advertisement for Tawny, Barbie’s horse, perhaps illustrates best where the true value of a girl still lies. The horse is told to be beautiful and stylish if she wants to be loved. Although all attributes that could as easily be associated with a horse as with anything else, Tawny is not told to be strong like the Biker Mice, speedy like the Typhoon or even useful like Thomas the Tank. To be useful, she must provide something beautiful to look upon and must remain stylish in keeping with the social trends of the day. Phonological cues throughout the advertisements left little room for doubt regarding whether or not the marketers were aware of their gender-role messages. Rock music pulses through the advertisement for Biker Mice, with emphasis placed upon those words expected to elicit a more emotional response. The ferociousness of the word biker is backed up by the macho-sounding names of Vinny, Throttle and Modo, each providing an image of a street-wise gangster. Cataclysm and the claw troopers (arch enemies of the Biker Mice) are emphasized in such a way as to at once suggest violence, which is then reinforced by the emphasis on the mice being ‘ready to fight’ and the congratulatory ‘good shot’ indicating that the biker mice are full of right action. Emphasis is placed on the actions contained in the Hot Wheels advertisement as well with the stressed descriptors placed before action words – ‘incredible speed’, ‘outrageous stunts’, ‘awesome jumps’. The announcer even acknowledges, in an apparently awe-stricken moment, ‘that’s action’. The line ‘outrageous stunts and awesome jumps’ itself introduces an accelerating rhythm within its lilting rhyme pattern, further emphasizing the importance of action and movement. This presentation leaves little doubt that action is the central fact and unit of worth contained with the boys’ world. While this concept is not figured strongly in the Thomas the Tank engine, similar stresses in the announcer’s voice on particular words illustrate where the value of a man might be found. These stresses occur upon words such as ‘useful’ and ‘shines.’ This emphasis placed within two simple statements made by two different engines immediately introduces an element of competition as to which one is deemed better by the child consumer – useful or brilliant. Neither is allowed the upper hand in the advertisement, yet the message remains clear that boys are expected to be either one or the other. Girls receive the same treatment in the phonology of the advertisements presented to them. A pleasant voice inquires gently ‘where’s Ariel?’ at the beginning of the Singing Ariel advertisement. From there forward the advertisement is focused upon the concept of singing. Ariel sings, Sebastian conducts her concert and child consumer should sing as well. The word sing is actually repeated within the advertisement in essentially eight lines. Any child attempting to consider a career at this point would be forced to consider whether or not they have the talent to sing for a living. Girls become convinced that if they can’t sing, they have somehow failed at being feminine. The concept that an ability to participate in aesthetic pursuits is essential to being feminine is also emphasized in the Glitter Swirl Fairy dolls, as it is expected that regardless of natural talents, all girls will be capable of painting magical designs on their dolls’ wings ‘making them fly’. Beauty is all important as the advertisement breaks into a short rhyming song of its own, illustrating how the magical beautiful glitter of the wings and the playful swirl of light will empower these fairies with the energy to reach new heights. As in the other advertisements, the one for Tawny the horse places emphasis on those attributes traditionally associated with the ideal feminine – beautiful and stylish. Through her association with beauty and style, the horse can expect to be loved regardless of what else she does or does not do. For the girl who is unsure how these concepts might translate to the human form, the advertisement also spells this out for her, informing her that she must ‘be Barbie’. Note that it doesn’t indicate she should be like Barbie, but rather that she should actually be Barbie. If she is anything less, she cannot expect the same types of rewards, rewards that are based solely on external factors. In all aspects of each of the six advertisements analyzed it was found that traditional gender roles are most definitely encouraged and reinforced through the lexis, semantics and phonology of the advertisement messages. While boys are encouraged to be strong and work hard, regardless of the level of respect or appreciation they receive, girls are encouraged to ignore inner development in favor of achieving outward perfection based on a particular singular mold. This message is deployed to boys through an emphasis on action, speed and competition and deployed to girls through active encouragement to participate in outwardly focused activities such as entertaining others or participating in the production of the ideal image. The message may be partially lost on younger children who do not have the knowledge base necessary to form some of the more complex connections; however, adults watching with their children immediately sense the importance of a certain trait in ensuring the success of their child in later years. Translated through these advertisements, these traits are usefulness and strength in boys, outward beauty and pleasure in girls. Regardless of what parents themselves may or may not do to try to circumvent the traditional roles and ideals assigned to genders, little effective change can take place as long as even the youngest children become indoctrinated in these long-standing cultural constrictions through the messages sent them through their toys. Read More