Feminism in Advertising

Criticism of images of women, particularly in the mass media, has been part of feminists thought since the modern women's movement took shape. In western European and American culture, the stereotyped image of women is afar from flattering or truthful, with a few exceptions, media portrayals of women are still patronizing and sexist: women are seen as bimbos without a brain in their pretty heads or as competent mums with no interest other than their demanding families; and in the most abusive examples, as creatures who secretly enjoy being beaten and raped, indeed ask for it with their appearance or behavior. The most we are offered is he new stereotype of the 'superwoman', juggling children, job and love life.

Feminist have responded with books and articles addressing the problem of he portrayal of women in literature, film and advertising, for example: Is This Your life? Images of Women in media. There has been a successful feminist analysis of the image from popular culture feminist analysis of the image from popular culture and advertising -and a lively critique. The collision of witty, angry women with offensive gender-stereotyped representations has provided some of the best known and remembered images of 'feminism' in western society. For example, the photographic books Spray It Loud and Louder than Words by Jill Posener showed graffiti on advertising billboards making witty and to-the -point criticism of those advertisements. 'If this car was a woman, it would get its bottom pinched,' was defaced with the words, 'if this woman was a car she'd run you down.' Slowly, advertising companies began to take notice, although only within certain limits.
'the consumer is not a moron, she is your wife,' said David Ogilvy, the director of one of the world's largest advertising corporations, making a clumsy attempt to address the problem of negative stereotypes of women in adverts. He made this observation in the 1970s. Unfortunately, although the influence of feminism on advertising has brought us images of men happily stuffing washing machines, not that much has changed. The beauty of Singapore's women, especially those who work as flight attendants, is still advanced as reason to visit that country.

Our objection of the campaigns against pornography that they place it at the centre and as the main or even sole cause of women's oppression-leads us to a much wider definition of cultural politics. We don't want the same oppressive culture without the pornography; we believe that feminists should be campaigning for different cultural practices across a wide spectrum.