ASA gender stereotyping report
ASA gender stereotyping report
MoI excited about a recent gender stereotyping report
The brands that get our attention are the ones that weave the story of their product or service in an engaging, modern way.
A recent report by the Advertising Standards Authority means brands may face a crackdown on gender stereotyping in advertising.
The report emphasises that the new standards will not ban all forms of gender stereotypes, as they can be a “useful way to tell a story”. For example, ads depicting a woman cleaning or a man doing DIY tasks probably won’t be banned. But the following types of depictions are likely to be problematic:
• An ad which depicts family members creating a mess while a woman has sole responsibility for cleaning it up.
• An ad that suggests a specific activity is inappropriate for boys because it is stereotypically associated with girls, or vice-versa.
• An ad that features a man trying and failing to undertake simple parental or household tasks.
When it comes to the portrayal of gender, advertising can affect peoples’ expectations of how others “should look and behave”. Many factors influence a society’s view and more can be done in certain areas, especially people being mocked for not conforming to gender roles.
Evidence suggests that harmful stereotypes can restrict the choices, aspirations and opportunities of children, young people and adults.
New standards will come into force in 2018, so work with us to get ahead of the curve. Our work does not conform to typical gender roles. MoI knows how to avoid the pitfalls of outdated stereotyping and ensure modern society is better represented. Well done to ASA for this report.
