Gender Stereotyping in Advertising

The study aims to identify attributes associated with gender stereotypes that the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has overlooked in its efforts to enhance gender representation in advertisements. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive literature review, examining various advertising regulatory bodies and their regulations. Thematic analysis of the data revealed seven overarching themes that guided the identification of attributes. These themes encompassed forty-eight attributes commonly addressed by Advertising Regulatory Boards (ARBs) worldwide. A comparative analysis of these attributes revealed that ASCI’s current regulations address only eighteen of the forty-eight attributes, indicating a substantial gap of thirty attributes. The study’s findings also highlight a crucial gap in ASCI’s SEA: Self-Esteemed—Empowered—Allied Framework. The study emphasizes the need to consider stakeholders’ perspectives and identify stereotypes repeatedly utilized in Indian advertisements related to males and the third gender. It also advocates re-evaluating existing advertising design frameworks to improve regulation, including ASCI’s framework.