Media Literacy Activity: Gender Stereotypes in Television Ads

Introduction

Activity Objective

In this activity, you will apply the critical process to evaluate visible gender stereotyping in advertising.

Let’s get started! Use the previous and next links to navigate through the slides. You may also use the Outline menu to skip directly to a slide. Students must complete the slides in order.

Reviewing the Critical Process

Developing a media-literate critical perspective involves mastering five overlapping stages that build on one another. Let’s review the critical process you’ll be using below:

  1. 1. Description: paying close attention, taking notes, and researching the subject under study
  2. 2. Analysis: discovering and focusing on significant patterns that emerge from the description stage
  3. 3. Interpretation: asking and answering “What does that mean?” and “So what?” questions about one’s findings
  4. 4. Evaluation: arriving at a judgment about whether something is good, bad, or mediocre, which involves subordinating one’s personal taste to the critical “bigger picture” resulting from the first three stages
  5. 5. Engagement: taking some action that connects our critical perspective with our role as citizens to question our media institutions, adding our own voice to the process of shaping the cultural environment

Description

To get started, search for ads from the most recent Super Bowl. Select ten ads for an individual project and more ads for a group project.

Use the text boxes provided to answer the following questions.

Analysis

Now, look for patterns in your observations.

Use the text box provided to answer the following question.

Interpretation

Next, let’s dig deeper into the patterns you identified to interpret your findings.

Use the text boxes provided to answer the following questions.

Evaluation

Through the following questions, express your views as you assess gender portrayals in advertising.

Use the text boxes provided to answer the following questions.

Engagement

Let’s take action! For example, you might repost TV ads you’ve seen on social media or call out ads that promote negative stereotypes and congratulate those that break or challenge stereotypes. You could also critique ads using playful memes that you post on social media.

Use the text box provided to answer the following question.