Case Study: This assignment asks you to uncover the messages about gender that are a (hidden) part of TV commercials [or, if you do the alternative assignment, you will be analyzing magazines]. To do this, you will compare the commercials that air during one “male show” with the commercials that air during one “female shows.” Please choose shows that are clearly “male shows” or “female shows.” For example, although many women watch football games, it is assumed the audience will be primarily male. Similarly, shows on the Lifetime network are clearly geared towards a female audience because Lifetime defines itself as being devoted to womens entertainment. There are many shows that both men and women watch. These shows would not work for the assignment. Once youve chosen a “male” show and a “female” show, you need to watch at least two episodes of each show (yes .. . Im asking you to watch TV for homework @ ) and pay careful attention to the commercials. Recording the commercials
would be helpful, but if that is not possible, take really good notes. Pay attention to what kinds of products and services are being advertised on the “male show.” Are these the same products and services that are being advertised on the “female show”? We know that advertisers are very careful to sell their products during shows their likely buyers are watching, so
Question: What can we deduce about who is buying certain products and services? For example, which shows air advertisements for cleaning products, childrens medicine, new tech gadgets, or new cars (and what kind of cars? Minivans or sports cars?). Which audience is being encouraged to invest? Which audience is being encouraged to go to school? (And what kinds of schools, for what kinds of degrees?) What roles do men and women play in the commercials you watched? What characteristics of a product are emphasized when a company is trying to sell a product to a woman? What characteristics of a product are emphasized when a e