Advertising: Gauntlett - Gender, identity and advertising

David Gauntlett has written extensively about gender, identity and the mass media and is a key theorist for A Level Media Studies. 

The Advertising and Marketing topic is a great opportunity to apply some of these ideas and give us some degree-level knowledge and theory.

David Gauntlett: Media, Gender and Identity

There is a huge amount we can take from Gauntlett's work across the mass media but these are three key ideas that we can apply to our Advertising and Marketing CSPs.

Idea 1: Identity is becoming more fluid 

David Gauntlett writes that there is a “decline of tradition”.

“The mass media is a force for change… The traditional view of a woman as a housewife or low-status worker has been kick-boxed out of the picture by the feisty, successful 'girl power' icons. Meanwhile the masculine ideals of absolute toughness, stubborn self-reliance and emotional silence have been shaken by a new emphasis on men's emotions, need for advice, and the problems of masculinity.”

Idea 2: There are generational differences

Gauntlett highlights the differences in views on identity between young and old – e.g. on homosexuality or masculinity.

“The mass media has become more liberal, and considerably more challenging to traditional standards… and this has been a reflection of changing attitudes, but also involves the media actively disseminating modern values.

Idea 3: Things change over time

Gauntlett talks positively about the media and audiences changing over time.

“Views of gender and sexuality, masculinity and femininity, identity and selfhood, are all in slow but steady processes of change and transformation.

“These things are not stationary. To discuss gender and media is to aim arguments at moving targets - which, again, is just as well.”

Gender, identity and advertising: blog task

Read this extract from Media, Gender and Identity by David Gauntlett. This is another university-level piece of academic writing so it will be challenging - but there are some fascinating ideas here regarding the changing representation of men and women in the media. If you can't access David Gauntlett's website, the text is also available here.

1) What examples does Gauntlett provide of the "decline of tradition"? How can we link our advertising CSPs (Score hair cream and Maybelline 'That Boss Life') to this idea?

2) How does Gauntlett suggest the media influences the way we construct our own identities?

3) How do the two CSPs reflect the generational differences that Gauntlett discusses? Is it a good thing that the media seems to promote modern liberal values?

4) Why might Manny and Shayla be a good example of the role models that Gauntlett discusses - and also demonstrate how those role models have changed in recent years?

5) Why does the Score hair cream advert provide such a good example of traditional masculinity? How can you link this to Gauntlett's discussion of whether masculinity is in crisis?

6) Gauntlett consistently argues that masculinity is not in crisis. Can the Maybelline 'That Boss Life' advert be used as evidence of this?

7) Does advertising still reinforce the "conventionally rugged, super-independent, extra-strong macho man" that Gauntlett discusses? Offer examples for both sides of the argument from the wider advertising industry.

8) Gauntlett discusses the idea of 'girl power' and offers examples from music and film. Does advertising provide evidence to support the idea of 'girl power' or is the industry still reinforcing traditional representations of men and women?

9) Do you agree with Gauntlett's argument under 'Popular feminism, women and men' where he suggests that younger generations are not threatened by traditional gender roles and are comfortable with social changes? Does advertising (and our CSPs in particular) provide examples either reinforcing or challenging this idea that younger generations are more comfortable with changing gender roles?

10) How do the two advertising CSPs show the changing 'diversity of sexualities' that Gauntlett suggests?

11) What examples from advertising does Gauntlett provide for the changing nature of gender in society (from the section on Judith Butler's Gender trouble)?

12) How can the Maybelline 'That Boss Life' advert be applied to Judith Butler's work on 'gender trouble'? ("The binary division of 'male' and 'female' identities should be shattered, Butler suggested, and replaced with multiple forms of identity...")

13) How can our two advertising CSPs be used to argue that power has shifted from media institutions to audiences? (Clue: how did Manny and Shayler from the Maybelline advert first become famous?)

14) Why is advertising such a good example of the 'contradictory elements' that Gauntlett discusses with regards to the mass media? In other words, how does advertising continue to both reinforce and challenge gender stereotypes?

15) Finally, Gauntlett makes a clear case that things change and modern identities are increasingly fluid. How do our advertising CSPs demonstrate the changing attitudes towards gender and sexuality in society?


This is a significant amount of work but you'll have plenty of lesson time to do this. Complete this for homework, due next Monday. Reminder: you will have your assessment on Advertising and Marketing on Monday 26 March - make sure you revise for it!