The Working Women on Screen: A Look at how Television Ads Portray Female Careers

By Melita Clarice

30 SEP 2024

Advertisements have the capacity to shape the mindset of people about the society. Television is not acting in a socially responsible manner if it does not depict true reflections of the society. In addition to serving as a foundation for market segmentation, gender has also become one of the most popular marketing tactics. Therefore, it is crucial for marketing that gender, gender-related behavior, and its influence on communication are studied.

Working Women in Indian Television Advertisements (Image: Paulwriter.com)

Before a few decades, the representation of career women was very limited in advertisements. Women were only included as homemakers or sexual objects. During the late 20th century, the portrayal of career women began to increase. Such portrayal of roles would portray the brand as more inclusive. Different strategies are used by marketers to influence how consumers view their products. Storylines, taglines, and the representation of women are a few of the tactics used to appeal to particular emotions and give customers the impression that they are losing out by not using the items. 


In comparison to other nations, there are considerable distinctions in how women are projected in the Indian context since stereotypical images occur less frequently in Indian advertising. The image of the woman in advertising is evolving from that of a basic housewife to that of a career-oriented, professional, multi-identity superwoman who effectively combines her home and work lives. Women are portrayed as beauty icons in today's ads, playing both domestic and professional roles. Commercials from 2001 depict a young, accomplished woman who has never accessed certain restricted areas. Gender representations in Indian commercials are being thoroughly examined. Ensuring that girls graduate from high school and successfully transition to a career: By seeing more women working, making decisions, and serving as successful leaders, girls can be motivated to complete their education and be shown as various models of how women can work both within and outside the home. 


The portrayal of Career Women in advertisements is a reflection of societal attitudes and values towards it. Over the years, there has been a growing emphasis on gender equality and the representation of career women in advertisements. The brands usually add such portrayals to depict themselves as inclusive and to attract such target groups. Tanishq, a prominent Indian jewelry brand, has been known for its emotional storytelling and socially impactful advertisements. Their advertisements have featured women from various professions, showcasing their dedication, ambition and achievements. The way that women are portrayed in advertisements is crucial because it both reflects and signals the traditional roles that women are supposed to play in society. 


In today's commercials, women play both domestic and professional roles and are portrayed as icons of beauty. Commercials from 2001 show a young, successful woman who has yet to enter certain restricted locations. Additionally, it is noted that over the past ten years, the representation of women in advertisements has changed from being dominated by housewives to including working women. In terms of culture, Feminist Media Studies in movies and commercials, there are now 5 common themes. Several pro-women organizations use social media to promote the notions of women's empowerment and to increase awareness of the sexism that is inherently present in both professional and personal communication. Increasing brand activism, cultural marketing, and conscious capitalism adoption; growing criticism of corporate and commodity feminism; growing awareness of gender stereotyping; growing activism for better representation of women in advertising; and growing regulatory scrutiny of gender role representations in advertising. Advertisements take something that exists already in the world and they change it, forming a distorted reflection. “They emphasize some things and de-emphasize others,” it is a hyper-ritualization of the world and we recognize and even relate to some of the images. 


In reality, we could witness an increase in the percentage of career women in the society. Presently, there is a recent trend in advertising in which ads portray women in non-traditional roles. Recently, women have been depicted in roles that were formerly reserved for men, such as those of doctors, professors, sports, and business leaders. In these advertisements, women are portrayed as being in charge of their own choices and as having the power to influence the actions and attitudes of others. A framework for female power is put out and empirically supported, building on theories of social power, feminism, and current advertising trends. 

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Female power was commonly divided into two categories by the framework: "power-over" and "power-to". 

 ‘Femvertising’ addresses the problems caused by the lack of polyvocality in mediated and mainstream communication and the necessity for a variety of feminisms, including first-hand knowledge of racial, ethnic, and transgender experiences. When it comes to challenging conventional conventions and dispelling archetypal preconceptions about how moms and motherhood are portrayed in advertising, companies like Tata Tea, Havells, and Biba have taken the lead. Thankfully, there has been a significant movement in this image, with many advertisements acting as stories of women's empowerment and equality with males. Numerous progressive advertisements are emerging with fresh concepts that challenge norms and traditions. These commercials are effective at promoting the companies' goods and services, but they are also well-liked by the public and have improved the perception of their brands. 


Progressive and educated women in the advertisements are always worried about the family's diet, washing their clothes and checking for stains on their husband's shirts, bathing their infants with gentle soap, and taking care of their skin and hair. The education and employment of these women are only props; they are glorified housewives. 


Commercials from 2001 show a young, successful woman who has not previously entered certain restricted locations. The airline advertisement, which features modern women who are professionally attired and have aspirations of flying, is a good illustration -of this. Additionally, the woman is portrayed as an epitome of beauty in the Lux soap campaign. Although women are placed in higher roles and positions in advertisements now, the stereotypical portrayal is still common. 


The pseudo-stereotypical reality of advertisements used its influence to glorify the struggles of women and women who succeeded in achieving the ideal of being "perfect" by meeting social expectations and providing advice to other unsuccessful women on how to purchase the marketed products (shown in TVC) to reach this perfection status. 


A significant shift in the portrayal style of Career women is witnessed. Early advertisements often featured women who seemed to be influenced by materialistic elements like jewelry and societal expectations in their decision-making. However, as time progressed, a powerful shift occurred, with women gaining more power in their choices. During 2010, the working women role was either over-glorified or rather stereotyped. But in the advertisements after 2018, we could witness the way the advertisers have handled the roles with many perspectives, with diversity and inclusivity. Financial independence and self-celebration are prominent throughout the advertisements, where the women are encouraged to reward themselves after their achievements.  


A Long Way to Go, But Progress is Being Made.  

The portrayal of working women in advertisements reflects a complex interplay between social attitudes, marketing strategies, and evolving cultural norms. While significant progress has been made in recent years, there's still room for improvement. By embracing diversity, challenging stereotypes, and portraying women's realities more authentically, advertising can play a powerful role in promoting gender equality. It's a journey, not a destination, but the positive shifts are undeniable.