Women Stereotypes Portrayed in Print Ads by Luxury Fashion Brands. A Content Analysis, 2002-2005.

Authors

  • Paloma Díaz Soloaga Universidad Complutense de Madrid
  • Carlos Muñiz Muriel Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS212008104

Keywords:

Stereotypes, Women, Advertising, Fashion Brands, Content Analysis

Abstract

Using the content analysis as a tool to determine the most frequent images of women portrayed in the Fashion Luxury Brands advertisement, this study shows five different stereotypes and several values that “define” how women should act of behave in our society. There are few academic studies on this subject because of the lower status that fashion advertising as a cultural manifestation found in mass media has in academia. Even though this, luxury brands, more than any other sector, provide a powerful symbolic value added to their goods. However, more than a mere market function, advertising has social and educational impacts. Due to this, this research offers a very valuable analysis of print advertisement that women might see, and in long terms, may influence their own self perception and scale of values. A content analysis was performed of 290 print ads which relate to 97 luxury brands. The survey reveals five different women’s stereotypes found in advertising images and the most frequent values offered though this women images or representations. Implications of these findings are interesting for future research.

Author Biographies

Paloma Díaz Soloaga, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Paloma Díaz Soloaga es profesora de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Facultad de Ciencias de la Información) y en el Centro Universitario Villanueva donde imparte las asignaturas Lenguaje Publicitario y Fundamentos de las Relaciones Publicas. Dirige el Observatorio Publicidad y Sociedad donde ha participado y coordinado diversos Proyectos de Investigación. Sus líneas de investigación son el estudio de los efectos del mensaje publicitario, a partir de la teoría de los encuadres noticiosos (framing) para el análisis de contenidos así como el enfoque de la Tercera Persona y el uso de técnicas mixtas para el estudio de los efectos en públicos. Ha realizado varias estancias de investigación internacionales, en concreto en la Universidad de Harvard (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA) donde trabajó junto a la profesora Ellen Langer y en el FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) de Nueva York, donde colaboró con el profesor Jeffrey Buchman. La autora presentó las conclusiones de esta investigación en el Congreso Anual de la ICA (International Communication Association) celebrado en San Francisco en Mayo de 2007.

Carlos Muñiz Muriel, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey

Carlos Muñiz Muriel es Profesor Visitante del Departamento de Comunicación y Periodismo del Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (México). Es diplomado en Relaciones Laborales, licenciado en Comunicación Audiovisual y doctor en Comunicación Audiovisual por la Universidad de Salamanca (España) con una tesis doctoral titulada "Encuadres noticiosos e inmigración: del análisis de los contenidos al estudio de los efectos mediáticos". Durante los estudios de doctorado disfrutó una beca de investigación F.P.U. del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. Sus principales líneas de investigación se centran en el análisis de los efectos mediáticos, con una especial dedicación a la investigación sobre el tratamiento informativo de los medios de comunicación (framing) y el efecto de los encuadres (framing effects). Mantiene como tópico de su investigación el estudio de las representaciones o imágenes de los grupos minoritarios en los medios de comunicación. Ha realizado varias estancias de investigación internacionales, en concreto, en la Universidad Nacional de San Marcos de Lima (Perú) con la profesora Iris Tinoco (Año 2002), el Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (México) con el profesor José Carlos Lozano (Años 2005 y 2006) y la University of Texas at Austin (Estados Unidos), con los profesores Stephen D. Reese y Maxwell McCombs (Año 2006).

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Published

2008-03-03

How to Cite

Díaz Soloaga, P., & Muñiz Muriel, C. (2008). Women Stereotypes Portrayed in Print Ads by Luxury Fashion Brands. A Content Analysis, 2002-2005. Observatorio (OBS*), 2(1). https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS212008104

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2008)

Section

Articles

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