Date of Award
Fall 12-15-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Communication
First Advisor
Dr. Alicia Mason
Second Advisor
Dr. Ken Ward
Third Advisor
Dr. Megan Westhoff
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Catherine Hooey
Abstract
This thesis delves into the ways in which gender is portrayed in Indian television advertisements, with a focus on key areas such as male and female ratio as primary characters, in voiceovers, at home, outdoor, and workplace settings, and finally, in product categories. The thesis draws on a content analysis of 120 strategically selected Indian television advertisements from 120 brands from 2011 to 2020. Findings reveal that men were portrayed as the primary characters in 54.6% of these advertisements, and females were portrayed as the primary characters in 45.4% of advertisements. For voiceovers, the male ratio was 70.1%, and the female ratio was 29.9%. In terms of setting, women and men ratio in home settings were 66.7% and 33.3% respectively. No significant differences were found between males and females in outdoor settings. For the workplace setting, the male and female ratio was 100% and 0%, respectively. For product categories, women were primarily associated with home and household products, followed by healthcare products. The rest of the categories, such as banking and technology, development, and transportation, depicted more males than females. This study contributes to bridging a gap that exists in the context of developing countries with very diverse cultures like India. The possible impacts of such stereotypical depictions are analyzed from the viewpoints of Social Learning Theory and Media Framing Theory.
Recommended Citation
Akram, Himika, "GENDER REPRESENTATION IN INDIAN TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS FROM 2011 TO 2020" (2023). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 464.
https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/etd/464