Portrayal of women in indian television advertising: A case study of three decades

The portrayal of women in media has been changing across the globe over the last few decades. Though women empowerment is one of the biggest challenges the nation is facing today, the way women are being presented in the media is an equally important issue that needs to be addressed. Television advertising is one of the powerful mediums that connect masses around the world. Portrayal of women impacts the mindsets and value system of the society, and has been gradually changing over the decades. This research paper presents an overview of women centric television commercials of different decades and traces the transformation in the portrayal of women in television advertisements. It also throws light on the varied perceptions of audiences, impact of such advertisements on their mindsets and the way media representation of women influences the public opinion formation. Thus, representation and participation of women in advertising is a significant concern. Over the years, there has been a shift in the roles played by women in advertisements. The representation has been shifted from being just the “perfect housewives” to career oriented modern women. This paper analyses the various roles played by women in Indian television advertisements over the decades and to what extent it impacts on the audience's perception.