Summary: | The visual imagery provided by the advertisements can tell powerful stories of our attitudes,
values, beliefs and behaviours through meanings and associations. Scholars advocated the
view that language of advertising not only conveys information about the product but also
cultural values. In advertisements, women are often used as baits to attract customers’
attention. Media is gendered, displaying specific trends and patterns associated with the
female gender. Thus, in media, women are portrayed in diverse roles in positions of power,
yet also exploited in positions of inequality; from household chores, to objects of sexual
desire. Hence, the research question of “What roles are ascribed to the female gender in
print advertisements?” This research aims to explore 1) the roles of female in digital print
advertisements; and 2) the meaning-makings through representation of these females. Eight
print advertisements are purposely selected for this study. In the findings, females are
associated with: feminine touch, physical lowering, function ranking, licensed withdrawal
and ritualization of subordination.
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