Stereotyping in advertisements is not an unusual phenomenon anymore. But there is no end for an argument on gender portrayal or the portrayal of women in advertising. In a media-watch be it TV programs, select films, outdoor advertising, print and TV advertising, women are projected by a stereotype which ignores the fact. In advertisements, women are used as a model for various products like tyres to cosmetic. In the advertising, the derogatory representation of women may not be considered a purely physical aspect. But we have to consider social, economic and cultural aspects also. Portrayal of women in ads damages not only their image, but also the dignity of womanhood.
Women have been projected as the most appealing `object' by the advertisers or marketers to communicate the messages inherent in the advertisements. The woman in ads is fair, thin, and affluent and under 35 but still a dumb and just a beauty conscious person. A woman is not portrayed as intelligent, but as being obedient and passive to man. The ideal mothers in ads are those that are worried about their children for health drink or noodles only and the ideal wives are those only who take care of their husbands' clothes and cholesterols. They are dependent and desirous for support and protection which ignores the fact of women's progress in their education and their position in society. Today's women play significant roles from housekeeper to CEO of MNCs. But the damaging and insulting characterization of women's image in ads emphasizes an attitude and lifestyle which bounds the women to work at house. Ads depict woman as an impulsive buyer or as a glamorous doll without any intellect.
Besides these six categories of roles classified, there are two more categories in analyzing the gender displaying in various advertisements. These categories are body display and independence.
The traditional culture as well as ads emphasized the economic dependence of female gender where they were taken care of throughout their life, firstly by parents, then by husband and towards the end by children. Of course, the social evils like dowry system prevalent in the country not only demeaned them, but also portrayed them as burden to the family. These thoughts were distinctly reflected in the ads (The thought-provoking catch line of Fair & Lovely ad, kash main beta hoti). Further, these changes in the roles of women in the society and their appearance for the neutral products do not suggest that women are free from their traditional family roles.
Advertisements that appear in the matrimonials, a very private level of decision-making reveal that married woman are a victim of sexism and capitalism. An English newspaper carried an ad seeking "fair, beautiful and tall bride with gentle heart" for a groom. This shows the priority of potential groom for physical features and not for convent education and a gentle heart. Now consider another situation. Doctor bride looking out for a life partner and if she mentions, `165 cm tall, fair and handsome' or a successful executive insists on `tall and handsome' bridegroom, what will people comment?
Women should be with beauty (external) and the society tends to look at an ugly woman almost with detestation. While man's ugliness can be overcome a woman's ugliness becomes a deficiency. The entire fancy care undertaken by cosmetic industry heavily promotes that the woman has to be beautiful for being accepted. |
