Gender stereotypes in fashion advertising on Instagram: a content analysis

Abstract

Gender stereotyping in advertising has long been a societal issue studied in the literature across several media, such as television and newspapers. However, recent years have seen the rise of social media, which has changed the way men and women consume and process information. As Instagram's popularity continues to surge, this social network has garnered significant attention in the academic literature. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of harmful and rewarding stereotypes within fashion advertisements as well as explore how their impact is mediated by genders and across product categories. As a qualitative method, a content analysis was conducted in the research to analyze gender stereotypes depicted in advertising based on four categories developed by Deaux and Lewis (1984); trait descriptors, role behaviors, occupational status, and physical characteristics. The results of the study reveal a prevalence of harmful stereotypes in advertisements featuring women, while a significant proportion of rewarding stereotypes are encountered in advertisements featuring men. This thesis contributes to the existing literature on the field of gender stereotypes in fashion advertising. Indeed, it shows an over-representation of women in fashion advertising and a stereotypical distribution of products within the different categories. This suggests that harmful stereotypes in advertising vary depending on whether a product falls within the mass-market, masstige, or luxury category. Finally, a growing tendency to represent genders in roles that challenge traditional stereotypical representations has been observed, offering valuable perspectives for future research in the field.