Women Sell Mascara, Men Sell Machines? : A Content Analysis of Gender Portrayals in Swiss Prime-Time TV Advertisements

Abstract: This study analyzes gender portrayals in Swiss prime-time television advertising with regard to gender stereotypes. A content analysis of 449 characters of 412 distinct advertisements sampled from four selected German-speaking TV channels in Switzerland was carried out. Characters in the ads were coded for physical appearance, sexualization, social role, and occupation. The data show significant variations between the representation of women and men in all four aspects. An international comparison of the gender portrayals used in Swiss advertising suggests that they are almost identical to internationally used stereotypes. Only small deviances occur, such as the portrayal of both women and men in a home setting, an equal share of female and male characters doing housework, and no differences in the arguments given by women and men on why to use a product they advertise.