The Representation of Women in Pakistani Advertisements

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine Pakistani advertisements that feature various poses and the availability of women. To meet the study's objectives, ten advertisements were collected and analyzed using Hall's (1997) theoretical framework. The study found that these Pakistani advertisements reinforce gender inequity and male dominance by portraying women as dependent on men. The findings also revealed that advertisements in Pakistan typically promote false images, physical attractiveness, family responsibilities, and sexual exploitation, limiting the portrayal of women and reinforcing negative gender stereotypes. Furthermore, the findings revealed an oppressive representation of female bodies in advertisements, which puts pressure on women to meet unrealistic physical standards and perpetuates harmful views on beauty. These misconceptions harm women's emotional and physical health, as well as their self-esteem. This study contributed to a better understanding of how the media influences social attitudes toward women's empowerment by highlighting harmful gender stereotypes and power imbalances that are reinforced by these visual representations.