Stereotypes Galore! Women’s Emancipation as Reflected in Advertising

A woman rushes across the screen, cleaning the floor with the latest “turbo power 3”
multifunction vacuum cleaner, feeds her baby with the new and improved baby formula
and marvels at her almost blindingly clean dishes, then turns to the camera with a
smile on her face that suggests she could not imagine a more satisfying life. This
description might sound a little old fashioned and restricting, but it is commonly
conveyed to us through advertising, even today. Is this truly the concept we have of
modern women? Has not the women’s movement brought about more change than just
in legal status? As advertising is one of the most powerful educational mediums in
modern society, the image of women it conveys is not only quite interesting, but also of
great importance. There is such an overload of advertising surrounding us; we’re
bombarded daily with a vast amount on the radio, TV, online, on billboards, in
magazines, even on the most common things like a pen—there is no way to escape its
influence. Advertising’s key objective is making money; selling an image of perfection to
consumers makes great business sense, because it sends people on a never-ending
quest, trying to achieve the impossible, all the while spending endless amounts of
money. Advertising does not only sell a product, but, through stereotyped characters,
also provides us with an exemplary way of life. The concepts of beauty, love, and normalcy it promotes, might have changed in the course of 40 years, but the central
message remains the same, “you have to buy this or otherwise you will be
unacceptable”. It seems that in the 21st century, women’s emancipation is an issue that should long
since have been checked off the list as accomplished. The great effect of the feminist movement, with better educated, working women, participating in every aspect of life, is undeniable, yet the
influence it has had on advertising’s portrayal of women remains questionable. Have
stereotypes been banished, did they evolved or maybe even stay the same? The focus
is on the 1950s and the 1990s as representative decades for the pre-and post-feminist
attitudes, in order to explore the truth of advertising and finally be able to answer the
question: does advertising’s image of women match their place in society?

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Women's Position in Society: American Social History
  • First-Wave Feminism: Women Gain the Right to Vote
  • Second-Wave Feminism: The Personal Becomes Political
  • Third-Wave Feminism: Finally Diversity
• Comparison of the Portrayal of Women in Advertising Campaigns of the 1950s and the 1990s
  • The Power of Advertising
  • In Search of Stereotypes: Advertising of the 1950s
    • A Woman's Worth: Beauty Etiquette and Proper Femininity
    • Women Portrayed as Inferior to Men
    • Women as Decorative Objects
    • Women Portrayed as Housewives and Mothers
    • Exclusively White
  • Constructive Criticism
  • The Old New Thing: Advertising of the 1990s
    • Sky-High Beauty Ideal
    • Women in Relation to Men
    • Oversexed and Underage
    • Housewife Turned Superwoman
    • Diversity

Objectives and Key Themes

This work aims to analyze the representation of women in advertising, specifically focusing on the 1950s and 1990s, as representative decades for pre- and post-feminist attitudes. The author explores whether advertising's portrayal of women aligns with their societal position and analyzes the impact of the feminist movement on this representation. Key themes explored in the text include:

• The role of advertising in shaping societal perceptions and promoting consumerism
• The evolution of stereotypes surrounding women in American society through different feminist waves
• The impact of the feminist movement on the representation of women in advertising
• The persistence of stereotypes and their potential influence on contemporary views of women
• The intersection of race, class, and gender in the portrayal of women in advertising

Chapter Summaries

The introduction provides a critical analysis of the stereotypical image of women in advertising, using a contemporary example to illustrate the common tropes employed. It highlights the power of advertising in shaping consumer perceptions and its use of idealized representations to promote products. The first chapter explores the historical context of women's position in American society, focusing on the First-Wave Feminist movement. It examines the social norms of the 19th century, highlighting the limitations imposed on women and their struggle for suffrage. The chapter discusses key figures and events that shaped the early women's movement, including the Seneca Falls Convention and its Declaration of Sentiments. The second chapter delves into the Second-Wave Feminist movement and its impact on American society. It highlights the shift from focusing primarily on legal rights to challenging the broader social and political structures that perpetuate gender inequality. This chapter discusses the impact of the movement on women's lives, including their growing participation in education and the workforce. The third chapter compares the portrayal of women in advertising during the 1950s and the 1990s, examining the evolution and persistence of stereotypes. It explores how advertising reflected the societal norms of each decade, including prevalent beauty standards, gender roles, and racial representations.

Keywords

This work focuses on the themes of women's emancipation, advertising, stereotypes, gender roles, feminism, and societal representation. It investigates the impact of the feminist movement on the portrayal of women in advertising campaigns throughout the 20th century, with a specific focus on the 1950s and 1990s. Key concepts explored include the power of advertising to influence consumer behavior and the role of media in shaping societal views on gender.

Details

• College: Maria-Ward-Gymnasium Augsburg
• Grade: 1,0
• Author: Gesa Biermann (Author)
• Publication Year: 2009
• Pages: 37
• Catalog Number: V164821
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640802821
• ISBN (Book): 9783640802784
• Language: English
• Tags: Emancipation Stereotypes Advertisement Advertising USA Women's Rights Womens' Emancipation Women's Emancipation Werbung Amerika Frauenrechte Feminisim Third Wave Second Wave First Wave Portrayal of Women Gender Studies Diversity Womens' Rights 1950 1950s 50s 1990s 1990 90s