Women in advertising.

It’s 2019 so why are some ad companies still in the 1950s-era of advertising?

Advertising is a key part of how our pop culture and how society has grown over time. For advertisers to have not kept up with those changes and the new norms is disheartening.

Yes, we’ve come along way in media and have dialed down the stereotypes. But the way women are depicted in advertising still relies heavily on gender stereotypes. From staying in the kitchen, plus size women, the dumb blonde advertisers still, rely heavily on women stereotypes.

How often do we see women being portrayed in a positive light in the media? We all know the answer, usually not.

You can’t peg people into certain groups anymore because not all women are interested in buying shoes or care about makeup and no one is trying to impress or marry anymore.

The advertising industry has been unchallenged and has had such a lack of women presence that women are not able to make a change.

The roles have changed from not just gender roles but discrimination based on age, ethnicity, ability, weight, etc.

“The fact is, humanity as a whole is obsessed with youth and always has been. Myths like the Philosopher’s Stone and the Fountain of Youth can be traced back thousands of years. The fear of aging, much like the fear of our mortality, is part of the baggage of being human” says ADWEEK.

One of the most sinister things the media does is feed off females insecurity. They use what girls hate about themselves and use it to there advantage to sale. All you see is sexualized unattainable photo-shopped images of sultry pouting teenagers with heaving cleavages and bare bottoms; they are 'empowering women' but perhaps only to feel bad about themselves and buy more things.

“3 in 4 people in the US believe that traditional gender roles have changed. They don’t believe in stereotypes such as a woman’s primary role being the caretaker of the home or a man’s primary role as being the breadwinner. But advertising isn’t keeping pace with expectations for gender inclusivity” says marketing charts.

It’s hard to say where we go from here. But we do know we need to make a change because women are becoming the sole breadwinners and decision makers. It’s time for advertisers to acknowledge that women are done being stereotyped and objectified.

For more information check these sites out:

https://www.marketingcharts.com/advertising-trends/creative-and-formats-82594

https://www.campaignlive.com/article/six-stereotypes-women-advertising/1426391

https://www.campaignlive.com/article/six-stereotypes-women-advertising/1426391