Study Questions on Images of Women in Advertising and the Media

Study Questions on Images of Women in Advertising and the Media

What are some of the main stereotypes about women that advertizing tends to support?
What should we look for in magazines to show us contradictions in contemporary views of women?
How do women’s magazine perpetuate an ideology of individualism?
How do fashion trends reflect our views of who women should be?
How do women become successful? What is the media’s idea of a successful woman?
What is the basic, underlying ideology of women’s magazines? What fundamental contradictions underlie this vision of women?
So, what so wrong with the “American Dream”?
How are class and race involved in the media’s portrayal of women?

How does advertising affect the content of women’s magazines?
What all should you look for in trying to assess a magazine’s freedom from editorial control by advertisers?
What else do you look at in trying to assess a magazine’s attitude towards women?
What kinds of stereotypes about women were revealed by the attitudes and demands of potential advertisers in Ms.?

What is the fundamental contradiction in the association between cigarette smoking or drinking and liberation for women?
How does alcohol affect women differently from men, both physically and socially?
How is race a factor in advertising cigarettes and liquor to women?
What stereotypes about women are perpetuated by cigarette and liquor ads?
Why is advertizing so dangerous? Can’t women “just say no”?
What are some of the most shocking, interesting, informative statistics in the article?
Statistically speaking, which drug is most dangerous to be addicted to: cocaine, alcohol, tobacco?