Review article
https://doi.org/10.32914/mcpr.9.1-2.6
ADVERTISING AND GENDER STEREOTYPES: THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDIA LITERACY
Irena Sever Globan
; Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Mateja Plenković
; Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Vanesa Varga
; Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Advertisements are one of the most widespread forms of media and cultural products, that we are either consciously or unconsciously exposed to on a daily basis. Contemporary advertisement industry has become the central institution of market-industrial economy with yearly expenditures reaching billions of dollars. Media experts agree that the effect of advertisement on attitudes, behaviour and emotions is very powerful, especially when it comes to children and young people. There is a trend in which advertisements rarely include the advantages of a product whose sale they are trying to encourage, but are rather increasingly imposing certain lifestyles that young people adopt as part of their identity and behaviour patterns. This is primarily related to gender stereotypes and unrealistic images of female and male bodies as main components of advertising. Especially important question arises when it comes to the consequences of frequent exposure to gender stereotypes in advertising, on psychosocial and social level of people. To minimize the negative effects of advertisements, it is necessary to act on several levels. Social level includes conducting a responsible media policy and defining ethical standards in advertising. On an individual level, parents and teachers should take responsibility for developing media literacy of children and youth.
Keywords
Media literacy; advertisements; gender stereotypes
Hrčak ID:
214350
URI
Publication date:
16.12.2018.
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