Interpretation of female images in advertising among Chinese adolescents
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine how Chinese adolescent girls and boys interpret female images in gendered advertisements based on Tobin et al.’s (2010) gender self-socialization model (GSSM).
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 48 Hong Kong adolescents studying in high schools or university year one participated in a focus group study. Four advertisements with different types of female images were presented. Interviewees were asked to discuss the appearance, the personality and the work and family life of the female characters in the advertisements. Interviewers then asked them to select the one most closely representing their ideal female image.
Findings
Most of the interviewees chose an urban sophisticate as the character closest to their ideal female image. Female interviewees identified with the urban sophisticate and aspired to the cultured nurturer image. However, they rejected the strong woman and the “flower vase” female images.
Research limitations/implications
The generalizability of the findings was limited because of the small sample size and non-probability sampling.
Practical implications
When targeting adolescents, advertisers should consider using female images displaying a personality that is neither too strong nor too weak.
Originality/value
This is the first study to investigate how Hong Kong adolescents interpret female images from gendered advertisements. This study also clarifies the gender concepts to explain how adolescents perceive gendered advertisements.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Miss Anqi Huang, project assistant at Hong Kong Baptist University, for her contribution in data analysis.
Citation
Ng, Y.L. and Chan, K. (2015), "Interpretation of female images in advertising among Chinese adolescents", Young Consumers, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 222-234. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-09-2014-00472
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited