SexisminAdvertisingIndustryThroughtheStudyofAutoMagazineAdvertisementsinLate20thCentury

馮冉

【Abstract】Gender discrimination against female in advertising industry appears to be ubiquitous especially in late 20th century.I intend to demonstrate that auto ads are under the influence of common gender stereotype which discriminates women as an inferior role in the society.

【Keywords】auto ads； gender discrimination； objectify

As Sexual Objects

In auto advertising industry，certain stereotypes towards women are in fashion years after years because they always expose mens desire directly.The popular stereotypes that concentrate on the inferior status of women in masculine society reflect the ideal appearance in accordance with most mens common judgment.

Auto ads are designed mainly by highlighting womens body shape rather than internal beauty.Many auto ads of late 20th century present part of womens body （Kilbourne 258）.A disputable example is the print ads for supplementary restraint system of Mercedes Benz，which uses four pairs of breasts to surround the brands name，indicating the exceptional softness of its air bags.Whether sexual desire has been conveyed in a direct or a roundabout way does not really matter，because both persuasive techniques can achieve popularity.

A woman who possesses feminine beauty like stunning shape，blonde hair，plump breasts and long legs is more likely to be the ideal companion for males.Therefore，the core appeal of this type of auto ads emphasizes on the concept that for an outstanding man，choosing a perfect car equals to find a perfect partner.Even for innocent consumers who are not familiar with any car，they will associate the perfect female image with a car brand and make quick decision.

As The Weak

It is a matter of fact that advertisers hardly depict women as highly professional roles，but women are likely to be supportive and subordinate roles instead （Knupfer，1998）.Beautiful womens fragility and helplessness in a dangerous situation or a dilemma are often displayed in auto ads.Being based on dependency upon male protection，this intention effectively activates macho bravado.

In auto ads with the female image as the weak，they tend to sacrifice womens intelligence in order to highlight one particular function of the car that can make up for her weakness.Ford Company adopted images of three modern and charming young ladies who were kidnapped and hid in the trunk of the car.The core appeal is aimed at boosting the large capacity of the trunk，with a message “l(fā)eave your worries alone” at the bottom of the picture.

Males have the tendency to be lured by females that behave delicately.Some auto ads put feminine delicacy into use and take a leap in making profit.Feminists had seriously condemned this “weakness appeal” to bring disgrace to women，but the market did not seem to make a positive response to them.Late 20th century has witnessed a variety of ads regarding female weak points without being doubted publicly.

As Ignorant and helpless Housewives

For married male customers，advertisers figure out a new appeal by discriminating housewifes incapability.Housewives are confined themselves in families and loads of housework occupy their daytime.Thus，a widely-accepted stereotype is the ignorance of the outside world and the likeliness to be troubled by things dealt with mental power.

A frequently used idea is housewives are not familiar with driving skills.As the Volkswagen Company once proposed that “women are soft and gentle，but they hit things”，it expressed a concern for female drivers carelessness that requires immediate attention.Although it does not excite straightforward criticism，it still makes a harsh denial of womens competence in driving.As time goes by，inadequate description of a role may become appropriate （Jill Hicks Ferguson et al.48）.Instead of accusation，public judgment appears to be neutral and even affirmative.But the worst consequence turns out that auto ads impose sexism on readers and successfully persuade them.It is true that Volkswagen advertising has already gone that far.

Conclusion

This essay focuses on three aspects to illustrate that women are severely discriminated in auto advertisements in 20th century，and provides possible reasons for the existence of sexism.

References：

[1]Kilbourne Jean.“Deadly Persuasion.Why Women and Girls Must Fight the Addictive Power of Advertising.”The Free Press，New York （1999）.Print.

[2]Nelson.Knupfer Nancy.“Gender Divisions Across Technology Advertisements and the WWW：Implications for Educational Equity.” Theory into Practice.37.1.（1998）：54-63.Print.

[3]Ferguson Jill Hicks，Kreshel Peggy J，Tinkham Spencer F.“In the Pages of Ms.：Sex Role Portrayals of Women in Advertising.”Journal of Advertising.19.1.（1990）：40-51.Print.