THE REPRESENTATION OF GENDER IN ADVERTISEMENTS: CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study explores the way social norms, particular choices, and ideologies are inculcated through advertisements (ads) that construct gender roles. Ads are important artifacts that represent human lives in a particular manner by propagating and inculcating a specific set of values, believes, and attitudes in a very normalized way. This study aims to analyze eight different commercials ads that are taken from Pakistani T.V. channels and the internet to examine how gender norms and ideologies are co-optively taught through advertisements in decorative ways to impose power relations and inequality in a patriarchal state. This is a qualitative study and Fairclough’s (1989) three-dimensional model of textual analysis has been used to reveal how multiple gender-based ideologies are constructed, reconstructed, and legitimized in social practices through the promotion and commercialization of ads. After exploration of the data, it was ascertained that through commercialization media represents the stereotypical image of people where a male is taught to be dominant, and women are taught to be submissive, decorative, and passive dummies. Results reveal that through advertisements gender ideologies are injected co-optively to promote the practice of patriarchy. This study is limited to eight ads only. More revealing results can be found by caring out similar studies on other ads.

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