The Portrayal of Men's Family Roles in Television Commercials [1] - Statistical Data Included

Sex Roles: A Journal of Research,  Sept, 1999  by Gayle Kaufman

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Stereotypical portrayals of men's and women's roles still persist (Lovdal, 1989). Coltrane and Allan (1994) find little change between the 1950s and the 1980s in men's image. Although more recently men and women appear nearly equally often in prime time commercials (Bretl & Cantor, 1988), their roles still differ. Men are more likely to be employed while women are more likely to be spouses or parents, apparently with no other occupation (that is not to say that they have no occupation but that occupation does not come into play). However, there has been an increase in men shown as spouses and parents (Bretl & Cantor, 1988). Men are still more likely to be away from home and outdoors and to be advertising products used outside the home (Bretl & Cantor, 1988), and they are not often portrayed as nurturing parents (Coltrane & Allan, 1994). In contrast, women are more likely to be advertising products used at home (Bretl & Cantor, 1988).

More specifically, women are likely to appear in commercials for over the counter drugs. They are often portrayed as experts, as husbands and children look to wives and mothers for help. The message is that women are nurturers and are needed to take care of the family. On the other hand, men are either absent or portrayed as dependent on women and childlike, but at the same time, this portrayal is exaggerated so as not to threaten men. All of this reinforces the image of women staying home to take care of the family (Craig, 1992a). When prime-time commercials are compared to commercials aired during the afternoon or weekend, different images emerge. Daytime advertisements focus on products and settings associated with home, family, and housewives (e.g., cooking, cleaning, and child care). Men do not appear often but when they do they are portrayed in positions of authority. In contrast, weekend advertisements focus on life away from family and home, often excluding women and children and playing on male fant asy and escapism (Craig, 1992b). Men appear more and speak more in commercials aired during Sunday football games (Riffe, Place, & Mayo, 1993). Compared to daytime and weekend advertisements, women have more authority while men are more likely to be spouses or parents in prime time commercials (Craig, 1992b).

International studies also show differences in the roles men and women play on television. In British television commercials, men are more likely to do voice overs (speaking part with no appearance), be an interviewer or narrator, be shown with a female background, and make an end comment (Furnham & Bitar, 1993). Women are more likely to be dependent and in the home (Manstead & McCulloch, 1981). This gender role stereotyping is present in British radio advertisements as well as in television commercials (Furnham & Schofield, 1986). In Australian television advertisements, men and women are also often depicted in stereotypical roles. Women are more likely to be portrayed as "dependent" (meaning here being a parent, spouse, partner, homemaker, or sex object) and more likely to be in the home than men (Mazzella, Durkin, Cerini, & Buralli, 1992).