Famous Stereotypes in Advertising - Coursework Example

Stereotypes in Advertising Introduction For advertisers, the marketing of goods is based on maximally appealing to the s. The advertising often includes techniques unique to the product and the choice customers. In other instances, the usual stereotypes on products and clients are often used in order to gain a perceived advantage over other competitors. For which reason, it is common enough to see the usual people or usual images being used to represent certain products. For the most part, such stereotypes are also inaccurate or dated representations of people, places, gender, or ethnicity. This paper shall now discuss stereotyping in advertising. It will first explain what stereotyping means; second, it will show two different examples of stereotyping (gender and age); and third, it will discuss the role of stereotyping in future advertising. Body Stereotyping explained Stereotyping is about sharing beliefs and values, based on personal qualities, personalities, behaviour, and traits distinct to a specific group of people (Gafencu-Bandiul, 2006). Stereotype was first used by Lippmann in 1922 in psychosociological applications where he evaluated images of the mind needed in order to sift through complicated and objective realities (Gafencu-Bandiul, 2006). At present, most researchers in psychology declare with the definition used on Leyens and colleagues (1994) who suggest implicit discussions on personality seen for specific groups of people. In terms of personalities, stereotyping relates to associated variables, mostly visual and unique, variables which assist cognitive functions. In the same vein, the direction of data from the environment supports these stereotypes (Gafencu and Bandiul, 2006). Expressing stereotypes is based on premises where behaviour is based. However, as pointed out by Cuddy and colleagues (2009) this often is not confined to behaviour alone, but on the way people express and support stereotypes within groups. Language used to describe what is observed may sometimes be different from the abstract concepts. Speech is sometimes applied to image, not so much on the written language; however stereotypes can also be manifested through written speech, film, sports, concerts, and advertisements where the stereotype would impact significantly on utterance (Gafencu and Bandiul, 2006). Gender stereotypes in advertising There are numerous gender stereotypes across the world. Due to globalization trends around the world, consideration unification of these stereotypes has been seen. Social trends like women’s emancipation, feminism, and the thirst for human rights have shifted people’s perception of the world (Bartsch, et.al., 2000). Gender stereotypes have presented stability in how masculinity and femininity is viewed. Bartsh and colleagues (2000) discuss that advertising has contributed to the recognition of the dominant gender types, including the perception that the relationship of people can be based on existing behaviours and preferences. Advertising can significantly manipulate individuals and make them paying customers while also believing in the messages sent out by the advertisers (Bartsch, et.al., 2000). Even the most uninteresting advertisements can impact significantly on customers especially as individuals often evaluate themselves based on certain images or standards. Advertising exploits feminism and masculinity best especially as it is the most common segmented variable (Beck, 2002). Advertising also has a major impact on the perpetuation of gender-role stereotypes. Discussions are made on instances where these stereotypes are exploited. For families, mothers are usually pictured to be housewives or homemakers (Beck, 2002). They are usually closer to their children, especially their daughters; while fathers are pictured as the breadwinners, often distant from the rest of the family (Popova, 2010). Men are also depicted to be major and power executives occupying higher social rankings. Sometimes, these men are also pictured to be taller and stronger. Popova (2010) also points out that women are often shown as gentle individuals, caressing things with their fingers and being more refined and demure in their demeanour; for men, they are tough individuals, often engaged in rough sports activities and taking on dangerous and free-spirited activities. For which reason, women are often depicted in bath soap commercials, while men are depicted in car or liquor commercials. There is also an excessive depiction of women lying half-naked in beds or couches, making them seem like desirable objects for men (Furnham and Thomson, 1999). Gender stereotypes are also based on what is labelled by society as ideal body figures. Men are often portrayed as sex objects with images of washboard abdominal muscles, inflated chests, and leanness which seem to be impossible to achieve through natural methods (Eisend, 2010). Women are also depicted with unrealistic model-like figures. They are usually caressing an object, lying on a floor, vulnerable, touching self, seductive, and playful. Eisend (2010) emphasizes that these positions manifest submissiveness, even more apparent when women are lying on the floor with men standing over them. Other positions which show subordination include the head tilt, body tilt, the bashful knee bends, lip biting, and similar positions of submission (Popova, 2010). Age stereotypes in advertising Age is also a stereotype used in advertising, a stereotype which is mostly prejudicial to the elderly. In general however, the various age groups are depicted based on set beliefs. Chan and colleagues (2012) claim that adolescents are usually depicted to be sullen and ill-mannered individuals. Children are also portrayed to be hyperactive individuals, in stark contrast to their elderly counterparts who are often depicted to be senile and weak (Chan, et.al., 2012). Generally, older adults, especially women are not represented enough in magazine advertisements. This same trend is repeated in television commercials (Miller, et.al., 2004). Role prominence for the elderly adults is decreased, with older adults, often playing minor or even background roles in commercials (Zhang, et.al., 2006). When they may be depicted with speaking roles, they are often portrayed as mentors or advisors. There are also few advertisements covering older adults. Studies on these advertisements also support a positive portrayal of these elderly individuals (Miller, et.al., 2004). Most of the commercials also pictured these individuals to be active, happy and lucid. A review by Zhang, et.al., (2006) reveals that older adults usually appeared with other individuals from other age groups for most of these TV commercials. Most of them are also placed in their homes and less likely under business settings. The review also established that there are lesser value themes depicted in TV commercials with older adults (Zhang, et.al., 2006). Value themes refer to modernity, youth, success, or technology; these themes are common among other younger age groups. These older adults are also featured mostly on commercials for health products, household products, and services (Zhang, et.al., 2006). Role of stereotyping in future advertising It may be argued that in the 21st century, the public’s taste would have significantly changed. Popova, et.al., (2010) discuss that it would not be surprising for more studies on how women are portrayed to be carried out with more frequency than studies on men. This would be because women as discussed above are often portrayed to be submissive, unintelligent, and sometimes easy to manipulate. At present however, and likely into the future, women have and will become more conscious of these portrayals (Zawisza and Cinnirella, 2010). While traditional roles for these women may not have been discarded totally, they have also proved successful in carrying out other roles. For most of these women, emancipation is not anymore an issue (Paek, et.al., 2011). Portraying men to be powerful and dominant must be balanced with the corresponding depiction of women, especially as both males and females are involved in now similar social activities. Paek and colleagues (2011) also discuss that the physiologically dictated role of women as mothers is still very much a significant burden for women, and it is important to note that they also carry out more roles and functions as compared to their male counterparts. According to Pellegrino and colleagues (2011), gender is difficult to utilize efficiently where advertisers want to establish a link with their male and female customers. The changing roles of males and females also lead to issues among advertisers, who want to reassess constantly the social limits of gender, as well as the individual conceptualization of what it means to be males and females in the current context. The issue is made more complicated by the fact that gender identity can differ for each gender and culture, and with time (Pellegrino, et.al., 2011). Chan, et.al., (2012) point out that gender stereotypes in advertising have been studied significantly and have been assessed since the 1970s when the role of women expanded to the workplace and when more women graduated from college. These discussions are also connected to shifting familial roles and the public pressures founded on feminist movements. Sapiro, et.al., (2011) emphasize that gender stereotyping still exists, however, it is also gradually decreasing with time. Still, it cannot be ignored that gender is still an issue in advertising even with improved understandings in the differences of men and women. This is a similar issue for age and advertising, especially where the portrayal of the older adults remain within traditional perceptions (Sapiro, et.al., 2011). Conclusion Specific identities within the post-modern society have become more flexible. This is due to the expansions in perceptions of popular ideas about society and self. About twenty or thirty years ago, researchers usually concluded that accepted culture is also not accepting of social change, especially as individuals were often relegated to traditional roles. At present, the media can be given some credit for changes in these roles, including the empowerment of those assigned subjugated roles. The traditional views of men and women, or elderly adults and those younger have somehow undergone a transformation. The traditional roles have not completely been eradicated, however, new ideas and images have allowed the shifting of these roles and the emergence of other identities. As such, these stereotypes may not serve a too significant role in the future of advertising, nevertheless, the process of change would likely be slow especially as the mindset of people will take a long while to shift. References Bartsch, R., Burnett, T., Diller, T., & Rankin-Williams, E. (2000). Gender representation in television commercials: Updating an update. Sex Roles, 43 9(10), 753-785. Beck, U. (2002). The Cosmopolitan society and its enemies. Theory, Culture and Society, 19 (1-2), 17-44. Chan, K., Ng, Y. L., & Williams, R. B. (2012). What do adolescent girls learn about gender roles from advertising images?. Young Consumers: Insight and Ideas for Responsible Marketers, 13(4), 357-366. Cuddy, A. 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