The Media's Manipulation of Friendships

Gender stereotyping evolved with the emergence of a consumerist culture. It was vital for companies to exploit pre-existing stereotypes in attempts to attract new and loyal customers to their products (Browne, 1998). Today, gender stereotypes are visible in every form of media: in Hollywood movies, magazines, television commercials and advertising campaigns. Gender stereotypes are often used as a marketing tool because these values have been instilled in our society for centuries and consequently, consumers view these depictions as truthful (Bessenoff & Del Priore, 2007).

Contemporary visual media contributes to the social construction of gender in that the way that men and women are portrayed in advertising is vastly different.

What is it that drives commercials towards their target audience? Commercials can be aimed toward certain age, race, along with certain gender groups. Pop culture has influenced minority groups and shed light on women 's rights or so it may seem. Lisa Shaffer a fellow student feels otherwise and believes that Pop culture has only defended traditional values and does little to challenge those who already have power . Commercials bring in gender norms and in Steve Craig’s article, “Men’s Men and Women’s Women” he speaks on four particular TV ads directed towards male and female audiences. Interestingly enough these tv ads deliver a false image of the opposite sex to the audience catering to their preferences. It is the image of what the audience wants to see that appeals to them. This is all in an attempt to sell products and take advantage of our desires and anxieties. Craig shows how commercials bring gender norms that produce the stigmas of a man’s man and a woman’s woman, which makes it apparent that he would agree with Shaffer because it promotes an old way of thinking.

According to the United States Department of Labor, 69.7% of men compared to 57.2% of women were participating in the U.S. paid labor force in the year 2013 (U.S. Department of Labor, 2013). But despite this near equality in the rates of participation in the work force, men and women continue to be depicted in very distinct gender roles throughout the mainstream media (Eisend, 2010; Lull, Hanson, & Marx, 1977; Collins, 2011). This gender stereotyping effect is especially prevalent within advertising. Because advertisements in the media frequently rely on gender roles to promote products and services (Eisend, 2010), research examining the effects of gender portrayals in advertising has become increasingly important in the social and behavioral sciences.

We are constantly surrounded by media in many forms, ones that which constantly tell us who we ought to be. Media has an influence on society’s way of thinking because every message you see or hear will have some impact on you. Since stereotypes are in everyday life many commercials will use the reality of that as one of the most popular techniques of persuasion. Genders roles is engrained in society and the media helps to reinforce institutional discrimination when they put media out there that is stereotyped. As a society we need to end the conflict between the inequality difference from men and

Gender codes in advertising have hugely impacted my own views and how I currently interact with friends, families, and even strangers that I see walking around on the streets. It is pointed out by Sut Jhally (2009) that the reason for this being, masculinity and femininity are strongly portrayed in advertisements as two completely opposite things. In most ads, men are shown as strong human beings with complete control of whatever problems may arise to them whereas women are shown the complete opposite. Their bodies are usually in positions that suggest that they’re being controlled by men and are completely dependant on them not being able to face troubles that may arise (Jhally, 2009). This expectation of what masculinity is, is shown all

AP) The paper explores the vast distinction in the qualities of men and women as dictated in the media. Media has always portrayed the sexes in very diverse manners. Men, the chosen dominate gender, per Feminity and Masculinity “our society is made up of many false fineries and is [Consistently] described as masculine and have qualities, including being dependent, Males are described as masculine and have qualities, including being independent, strong, self-confident and aggressive, while females are described […] with words such as dependent, weak, self-critical and passive’. This bias and largely unsupported view of gender has played a significant role in the way society views gender and the way women view themselves. Media’s obvious unequal

Today, I will be looking at how the way gender has been represented over the past 85 years. I will be looking at adverts from different time periods, what they show to the audience, how they represent and stereotype certain groups of people and what media techniques they use to show representation. I will be looking at the Kellogg’s PEP advert from 1930, the Levi Strauss Launderette advert from 1985, the Lynx Bullet advert from 2009 and the Hunky Dory’s crisps from 2010,

“Advertisements are deeply woven into the fabric of Western Culture, drawing on and reinforcing commonly held perceptions and beliefs” of gender and sexuality stereotypes. They have a strong role in shaping society by reflecting, reinforcing and perpetuating traditional societal values and attitudes towards gender roles and identities. The visual images displayed in advertisements are “often absorbed into peoples learned expectation

Every day people get targeted by companies and their advertisements, the way they manage to reach out and clutch your attention is easily achieved through television, Internet, driving down the street, listening to your favorite radio station, or at any kind of retail store. Some sort of advertisement will clinch your attention that’s certain. These ads hook you on by establishing a certain type of message; the ads can manipulate people’s attitude and opinions. “The ads industry affects people’s lives by shaping or reshaping their opinions, attitudes and beliefs.” Marshall McLuhan (1964) these ads are the greatest resource to look at gender stereotyping, because they are adjusted to the specific target either male or female. The aim of modern advertising successfully reaches its target audience not only and sometime not even by fulfilling the needs of the individual but by directing their creation.

The advertising media is a powerful tool for passing messages and when it comes to gender issues, it can influence behavior. For instance, the common adage that ‘boys will always be boys’ is a byword for male playfulness, aggressiveness and encourages boys to be outgoing and daring. Girls on the other hand, are represented as pretty creatures that should not get muddy but are always clean. When bombarded with such subtle messages, the narrative of male machoism and women beauty slowly takes shape in the minds of the populace.

The roles of males and females in society have significantly changed, as opposed to the predominant roles in our history. In the modern culture of today, women have begun to break out of the mold that which society has placed her in. This much can’t be said when it comes to modern gender representation in mass media advertising. It can be safe to state that woman are seen as sexual, fragile, exotic—whereas men are portrayed as tough, in control, and aggressive. This trend can be one seen as an inhibitor to the advancement of our culture, because especially for women, it is hard to pull away from the stereotypes that are continuously represented. As examples of the given trend, the following

Genderisation is defined as the assigning of a gender identity in regard to social or cultural differences. The issue of genderisation in consumer culture has been a prevalent one ever since the selling of consumer goods and the spending of consumer money itself has existed. However, the conception that each gender has their own predefined identity which is now culturally embedded within society is definitely a more recent development by our subconscious. It cannot be denied that adverts from 1940s onwards can be considered outright sexist but I think the scarier thought is the more present conundrum our society faces through subtle messages defining gender stereotypes in mass media. Throughout this essay I will investigate the evolvement of such preconceived notions of genderisation over time and how this currently impacts upon consumers in our current environment from gender-assigned toys to stereotypical advertising.

There is no secret of the overwhelming influence the mass media has over society. It has a great power and reaches large audiences. By presenting certain sorts of messages and facts skillfully, the media can manipulate people’s attitude and opinions without them even knowing. Business’ use of this constant exposure to their advantage and often invest and rely on commercials as a means to sell their products. Because so many different people rely on the mass media, the companies need a platform that is universal, understandable, and acceptable for numerous and diverse recipients. Unfortunately, companies often use stereotypes and gender roles when advertising their products or ideas in commercials to make them more “relatable” and appealing. What companies don’t realize is that these commercials mimics social life and evokes certain associations regarding gender. Mass media not only gives people information and entertainment, but it also affects people’s lives by shaping their opinions, attitudes and beliefs. In this paper I will discuss how gender roles are seen in commercials, how genders sell a certain type of product, and how these commercials can effect children’s perceptions of what is appropriate for their gender.

With millions of people watching TV daily, we as humans are so immune to the many misconceptions portrayed in the media, and on paper. Do you ever look over an ad and pay attention to what is actually going on in the picture? Do you look at what the models in the picture are doing or saying? By creating a certain type of message, media can manipulate people’s attitude and opinions. Gender stereotyping is a commonly used tactic in the media to enhance character traits and develop a more “attractive add.” When typecasts are irrepressibly present in popular magazines, and newspapers, readers internalize those messages of gender, making it complicated to counter stereotypical behavior. Nonetheless, many social institutions, such as magazines, continue to use gender stereotypes, basing on the assumption, that they are distinguished to everyone and aid the readers to understand the central message of the ad. Perfume ads are guilty of constantly illustrating a woman's ability to be strong when aided by a man. Emporio Armani’s Perfume ad reflects the norm surrounding heterosexual relationship through the use of signs and personalized format, which depict sexual gratification and strength. The ad reinforces traditional couple stereotypes, such as the inferiority of women in relationships.