What are the images that ads present? Everywhere we turn, advertisements tell us what it means to be a
desirable man or woman. Ads paint limited images of what men and women can be. Because ads are
everywhere in our society, these limited images sink into our conscious and unconscious minds. In this way,
ads help limit our understanding of our worth and our full potential.
Ads tend to present women in limited roles. Girls and women in ads show concern about their bodies, their
clothes, their homes and the need to attract a boy or man. Seldom are women shown in work settings,
business roles, or positions of responsibility and authority. Our society recognizes many valid roles for
women, but this isn’t always reflected in ads.
Also, the girls and women in ads are presented as “beautiful.” But ads offer a very limited, narrow image of
beauty. The advertising industry favors models with facial features that look Anglo, even if the model is
Black or Hispanic.