My Primary research

CAN WOMEN STILL RELATE OR IDENTIFY WITH DOMESTIC ADVERTS TODAY?

This will be tested by asking female individulas from two age groups (under 20-25 and over 50) questions to see which product they are more likely to buy, if they have to choose between the two products, and why. The two adverts that will be used are the oven pride advert, and the Mr Muscle advert, (both of which can be found in the post "First comments on Gender and advertising" on this blog). Five females from each age group will be asked.

Adverts targeting males and females

After searching through a number of magazines, I have found out that male adverts focus on the idea that 'if you buy this product, then you will find a girlfriend.', while women's adverts focus around the idea that 'if you buy this product you will look younger'. This is playing on the fear many women have that they will become obsolete in old age.

First comments on Gender and Advertising

On the 12th March 2002, a study was conducted which showed that only 3% of directors are female, which followed a report in November 1983 (TCU Report) saying that 3 in 244 advertising directors were female. Does this mean that adverts are gender bias due to the fact that the industry is male dominated. If so, does this mean that stereotypical representations will have changed for males and not females?

The stereotypical female is usually based around a typical female in the 1950's. A females.

The role of women in the 1950 was repressive and constrictive in many ways. Society placed high importance and many expectations on behaviour at home as well as in public. Women were supposed to fulfil certain roles, such as a caring mother, a diligent homemaker, and an obedient wife. The perfect mother was supposed to stay home and nurture so society would accept them. A diligent housewife had dinner on the table precisely at the moment her husband arrived from work.

From an article entitled A Woman's Role in the 1950s.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/13216/a_womans_role_in_the_1950s.html


Today, more and more women are choosing to have a career rather than be a house wife. Today 54% of women with pre-school children are employed. But with even with more rights for women, we are still looking through a male's perspective, and women are still portrayed as dependent on men, even though there is a rapidly growing number of househusbands. Considering this, why do advertisers still choose to show old stereotypes?

The main adverts portraying this view are cleaning products and domestic adverts. Two examples of this are the Mr Muscle and Toilet duck adverts.

In the following Mr Muscle advert, the Female character is having trouble cleaning the cooker top, causing Mr Muscle to appear. The young boy in the advert is in awe of the male superhero being in his kitchen. Mr Muscle then produces a formula to help clean the cooker, and saves the day. The advert is then finished by another women crying for his help, which connotes that women always need a mans help.

Mr Muscle advert

In the Toilet Duck adverts, a woman is shown failing to clean different items in the home causing Toilet duck to have to invent a cleaning product that help the female clean the house properly, connoting that females have to rely on males to do simple tasks. In the following video, the female character finds her toilet brush is full of germs, so Toilet duck saves the day by inventing a new way to help the female character clean the toilet.


Toilet Duck advert 2008/2009


Attitudes have been continuing to change, but stereotypical views are mainly remaining the same, so what affect is this having on the effectiveness of adverts?

There are some adverts that are trying to break these stereotypes and advertise that roles have changed, however men are now usually shown as inexperienced. The Parazone flushable toilet wipes are one example of this, where the male character is looking for cleaning products to clean the toilet. He shows his incompetence again by hitting his head on the cupboard, which causes the female character to walk in and use a Parazone wipe. However, even though the advert shows the female is more in control, it can also connote that the women is best in the home as the males can not cope.

Another advert showing how men are inexperienced is the Oven Pride advert. This focus' on the idea that men are not as good at house work as females, yet this product is so simple that "even a man can do it".