Public relations of anti-stereotype television spots

Abstract

What has been the involvement of corporate public relations departments in their advertising colleagues' efforts to abolish sex stereotyping in TV commercials? In this article, Adrienne O'Brien analyzes five commercials produced for major American corporations which contain “anti-stereotypical” occupational situations, and explains, through case study/interview findings, how corporate PR officials contributed to the message contained in the commercial and the follow-up work of responding to reactions to the ad. Of interest are her observations about the motives of advertisers who deal with “social issues” in the creation of messages that “sell”.