Community responses to gender portrayals in advertising

This study explores Victorian community responses to gender portrayals in advertising, in order to identify potential pathways forward to promote gender equality in the advertising setting. Based on data from ten focus groups held in Victorian metropolitan and regional centres, the study suggests that community members perceive that stereotyped gender portrayals and sexualised images of women are common in advertising. Community members are concerned that these portrayals pressure women and men to conform to limiting stereotypes, have negative impacts on health and wellbeing, and may support attitudes that cause violence against women. However, the prevalence of these portrayals may have a desensitising effect, making community members unlikely to react to or complain about them. Community members expect industry to take responsibility for improving portrayals, and believe government should play a more prominent role in mitigating harmful impacts and enforcing regulation. They identify a need for increased industry and community awareness about the negative impacts of stereotyped and sexualised gender portrayals, along with increased consumer awareness of regulatory and complaints systems.