Advertising: The representations of women in advertising

 Read these extracts from an academic essay on gender in advertising by Reena Mistry. This was originally published in full in David Gauntlett's book 'Media, Gender and Identity'. Then, answer the following questions:

1) How does Mistry suggest advertising has changed since the mid-1990s?
"Which the gender and sexual orientation of the subject(s) are markedly (and purposefully) ambiguous."
2) What kinds of female stereotypes were found in advertising in the 1940s and 1950s?

"The only real commitment for women lies in the fulfilment of their own femininity. The highest good is keeping house and raising children."

3) How did the increasing influence of clothes and make-up change representations of women in advertising?
"Clothes and make-up - which led to women being increasingly portrayed as decorative (empty) objects"
4) Which theorist came up with the idea of the 'male gaze' and what does it refer to?
Laura Mulvey, scopophilia (the basic human sexual drive to look at other human beings).

5) How did the representation of women change in the 1970s?

There was a proliferation of distinct images that became labelled as the 'New Woman', and that were seen as representative of the 'changing reality of women's social position and of the influence of the women's movement'.

6) Why does van Zoonen suggest the 'new' representations of women in the 1970s and 1980s were only marginally different from the sexist representations of earlier years?
They still wanted to present themselves at places such as an office.
7) What does Barthel suggest regarding advertising and male power?

That 'today's young women can successfully storm the bastions of male power... without threatening their male counterparts' providing we can reassure them that, underneath the suit, we are still 'all woman', that 'no serious gender defection has occurred'.

8) What does Richard Dyer suggest about the 'femme fatale' representation of women in adverts such as Christian Dior make-up?
Something of a misrepresentation of women's liberation.

Media Magazine: Beach Bodies v Real Women (MM54)

Now go to our Media Magazine archive and read the feature on Protein World's controversial 'Beach Bodies' marketing campaign in 2015. Read the feature and answer the questions below in the same blogpost as the questions above.

1) What was the Protein World 'Beach Bodies' campaign and why was it controversial?
It basically asked women to look their best for the summer on the beach, all for the purpose of male gaze.
2) What was the Dove Real Beauty campaign?
Where women took charge of what was advertised, and who was advertised, regardless of looks.
3) How has social media changed the way audiences can interact with advertising campaigns? 
People can now have a say in what is actually used as an advertisement, and if its appropriate for this day and age.
4) How can we apply van Zoonen's feminist theory and Stuart Hall's reception theory to these case studies?
Van zoonen suggests that women still want to present themselves, here it shows that everyone has beauty to be shown.
5) Through studying the social and historical context of women in advertising, do you think representations of women in advertising have changed in the last 60 years?

Very largely, 60 years ago it was all male gaze, how a woman was seen as more of an object, and as time went on women have now taken control of some advertisements entirely to show what they want and what`s right.