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Abstract

This dissertation investigates the representation of women in the media, specifically advertising media. To answer the question: Are models in advertising exploited, and if so what are the effects? This was completed through extensive research of mainstream media brands and models. Analysing the contribution of feminism to advertising, the conventions of different brand’s advertising styles, the body types models have in advertising, and the exploration of whether women are being exploited in advertising. Body image and women are at the core of this dissertation. This dissertation will explore American Apparel and the company's controversial advertising strategies and representation of women. There will also be research into different models which have experiences within the advertising industry, this research will explore the advertising industry from a different perspective. Textual analysis was used as a method of research within this dissertation. There are two brief literature reviews that give an academic viewpoint on the representation of women in the media. One scholarly study on the Male Gaze theory (Mulvey, 1989) and the other explores controversial advertising that includes the sexualisation of women. Within this research, it was concluded that models are being exploited in advertising. It was also concluded that there are multiple effects because of this, such as eating disorders (Wallerstein, 1998), aggression towards women (Gray, 1982), and negative mental health (Dittmar, 2009).

Course: Media Studies - BA (Hons) - C1346

Date Deposited: 2024-08-08

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14426.html