Polarising Trends in Female Role Portrayals in UKAdvertising

Abstract

Female role portrayals are investigated for the late 1980s using British women′s magazines, replicating and updating earlier studies to provide trends from the mid‐1970s. The present study suggests that advertisers have become increasingly sensitive to the issue of stereotyping as they witness the clear economic and social evolution of women. The results indicate less stereotyping of women as “physical objects” and a trend towards using either “family” or “independent” cues.