Question

Sex Roles and Selling

This exercise is designed to help students think critically about how gender roles may affect consumer perception, selling a product, consumption of certain consumer products or brands and how companies
promote their products/services.
Societies tend to assign a set of traits or characteristics to males (e.g., aggressiveness, toughness) and another set to females (e.g., tenderness, obedience). This division in gender roles can also affect promotions,
selling, perceptions and consumption of certain products or brands.
Traditionally, some products or brands have been perceived as masculine (e.g., pocket knife, Marlboro cigarettes), while others have been perceived as feminine (e.g., hand lotion, Virginia Slim cigarettes).
However, it is observed that the link between gender roles and consumer products has gradually been eliminated for many products, while for other products, the link still lingers.
1. For this discussion forum, you will need to find and collect two print (or online) ads:
One ad should represent a brand of consumer product that illustrates a diminishing link between gender roles and the product.
The second ad should demonstrate an enduring link between gender roles and the product.
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2. Post each ad by attaching them to your discussion forum post.
3. Then, explain how you selected each ad. Break down the elements of the ad and justify your reasoning for why you think the brand is moving in that particular direction. Why is this brand moving away from (or
keeping) its link between gender roles.

Answer 1

The discussion is about how gender roles influence consumer behavior, children's play, and occupational choices, reflecting societal norms and stereotypes. The question requires analysis of advertisements to understand these phenomena and the extent to which they are shifting or persisting.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject in question is centered around the interaction of gender roles and consumer behavior, specifically how these roles influence the selling, advertising, and consumption of products. These roles are based on societal norms which dictate certain behaviors and characteristics for men and women. The task involves analyzing how these gender roles are reflected in advertising and how they are shifting or persisting over time. The question asks for examples of ads that show either a diminishing or an enduring link between gender roles and consumer products, followed by an explanation of the selection of each ad.

Children's play is influenced by gender roles from a young age, with expectations for 'appropriate' toys and activities often being divided along gender lines. This can be observed through the types of toys children are given and the approval or disapproval shown by adults based on the children's choices. Girls are usually encouraged to engage with dolls and nurturing play, while boys are steered toward more active and aggressive toys, like trucks and toy guns. These early experiences with play can shape children's understanding and acceptance of societal gender norms.

On a broader scale, societal expectations also influence career choices, leading to occupational sorting, where men and women are expected to choose professions that are stereotypically associated with their gender. This is often reinforced by societal pressure rather than personal preference. Advertising further reinforces these expectations by depicting individuals in roles that align with traditional gender stereotypes, such as women in domestic and caregiving roles, and men in positions of strength and dominance.