The portrayal of women in South African television commercials

Abstract

Much research has been conducted on the portrayals of men and women in advertising. Advertisers are often criticised for portraying stereotypical gender roles, and particularly for depicting women as dependant (such as a homemaker) or decorative (such as a sex object). The purpose of the study on which the article is based was to identify current role portrayals of women in advertising on selected South African television channels. A sample of 245 commercials was content analysed to determine how women are portrayed in advertising. The findings indicate that women are most often portrayed as product users, and least often as sex objects. In terms of product categories, women featured most often in advertising for personal care items and least often in sport-related commercials. Rational advertising appeals were most commonly used in commercials featuring women. Suggestions for future research are offered.