Gender Depictions in TV Advertising in the Gulf

Abstract

This content analysis examines gender portrayal in advertisements in television advertising in the GCC, and contrasts those depictions with the results of an earlier study of the same region. Analysis revealed that stereotypical depictions of men and women continued to hold, specifically with respect to the association between the central figure's gender and the type of advertised product, as well as in background setting. However, in terms of roles (familial, autonomous) and location (home, occupational setting), as women continued to be depicted mainly in familial roles and at home, men were also increasingly portrayed progressively in familial roles and at home. The findings are discussed in comparison to extant literature and the changes occurring in the Gulf region with regard to gender roles.