The Place of Women in Advertising No works cited Stereotypes in America have existed for hundreds of years. They were around before the Internet, television, radio and even magazines. This is not to say that these new media devices do not contribute to the overwhelming prevalence of racism, sexism and stereotypes. Typecasting happens regularly in society, for men and especially for women. Advertisers are the main contributor to the continuation of female degradation and sexual prejudice in our society. Advertising plays a huge role in promoting labels. Direct marketing techniques require people to be placed into certain specific groups. The more defined a group is, the better it is for advertisers. Their goal is to create a situation where an entire group of people feel the same, think the same, and most importantly, buy the same. In the ads I found there seem to be three main types. The female body shown as a sexual object; today's ads have created a society where the Kate Mosses of the world embody beauty. It is these types of advertisements that are responsible for "80% of school girls... keeping their weight under control" (Kilbourne). This second type shows the housewife who is nurturing, nurturing, older, and non-sexual. These advertisements present women as only competent in cleaning, cooking and taking care of children. The last type is the emancipated woman, in control, young and attractive. It is only the third type of advertising, which occurred much less frequently, that empowers and recognizes women as equal to men. Advertisers need to change their evaluation of women. Women are more than sexual objects and housewives; furthermore, they make up half of the country's consumers. With a... middle of paper......ales. The advertising industry has had a negative effect on both men and women. It has propagated stereotypes and sexism in our culture for the last 100 years. Women remain submissive and meek, or are sexual objects in most advertising campaigns. Kilbourne claims that Americans are exposed to 1,500 advertisements a day. As we flood our culture with ads that negatively portray women, we eliminate any hope for social progress and gender equality. The solution is to change the philosophy behind advertising, a change that is happening right now. Unfortunately, this is a slow process as company leaders are reluctant to change what has apparently worked for the past fifty years. They don't know that when girls feel good about themselves, have realistic notions of beauty and health, they will serve both their companies and the women of the future...