Abstract
This study examined gender portrayal in a sample of 780 television commercials broadcast in prime time programs in Korea and Hong Kong using content analysis. Cultural differences between Korea and Hong Kong suggest hypotheses about the gender portrayal in advertising. Literature suggests that Korean culture differs from Hong Kong culture on the dimension of Masculinity/Femininity proposed by Hofstede. The differences between the two societies provide a valid test of theory. The results of the study showed significant differences between the two countries in terms of product profile, presence of central characters, voice-over, setting and reward type. Contrary to expectations from Hofstede’s framework, greater sex-role differences are reflected in occupation and credibility in Korea, a feminine society, not in Hong Kong, a masculine society. The study confirms that the difference on the masculinity dimension is not able to elucidate all differences in gender role portrayals in television advertising, thus, the concept of ‘gender of nations’ needs further examination.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
de Mooji, M. (2003), “Consumer Behavior and Culture,” Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California.
Fugate, D. L.; Decker, P. J. and J. J. Brewer (1998), “Women in Professional Selling: A Human Resource Management Perspective,” in: Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, Vol. 8(3), 33–41.
Gilly, M. (1988), “Sex Roles in Advertising: A Comparison of Television Advertisements in Australia, Mexico, and the United States,” in: Journal of Marketing, Vol. 52(2), 78–85.
Hofstede, G. (1980), “Culture’s consequences: International differences in work-related values,” Sage Publications, Newbury Park, California.
Hofstede, G. (1983), “National Culture in Four Dimensions,” in: International Studies of Management and Organisation, Vol. 13(2), 46–74.
Hofstede, G. (1991), “Culture and organization: Software of the mind,” McGraw-Hill, London.
Hofstede, G. (1998), “Masculinity and Femininity: The Taboo Dimension of National Cultures,” Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California.
Hofstede, G. (2001), “Cultures and Consequences,” Sage Publications, London.
Huang, J. (1995), “Culture Values as Manifested in U.S. and Taiwan Television Advertising,” in: AMA Educators Conference; Stern, B. B. and Zinkan, G. M. (eds.): Proceedings, Washington, D. C., 155–160.
Javalgi, R.; Cutler, B. D. and D. S. White (1994), “Print advertising in the Pacific Basin,” in: International Marketing Review, Vol. 11(6), 48–64.
Kluckhohn, F. R. and F. L. Strodtbeck (1961), “Variations in value orientations,” Row Peterson, Evanston, Illinois.
Milner, L. M. and J. M. Collins (1998), “Sex Role Portrayals in Turkish Television Advertisements: An Examination in Global context,” in: Journal of Euromarketing, Vol. 7(1), S. 1–28.
Milner, L. M. and J. M. Collins (2000), “Sex-Role Portrayals and the Gender of Nations,” in: Journal of Advertising, Vol. 29(1), S. 67–79.
Milner, L. M.; Fodness, D. and M. Speece (1993), “Hofstede’s Research on Cross-Cultural Work Values: Implications for Consumer Behavior,” in: European Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 1, S. 70–77.
Moon, Y. S. and K. Chan (2005), “Advertising Appeals and Cultural Values in Television Commercials: A Comparison of Hong Kong and Korea,” in: International Marketing Review, Vol. 22(1), S. 48–66.
Odekerken-Schroder, G.; De Wulf, K. and N. Hofstee (2002), “Is Gender Stereotyping in Advertising More Prevalent in Masculine Countries? A cross-national analysis,” in: International Marketing Review, Vol. 19(4), S. 408–419.
Pae, J. H.; Samiee, S. and S. Tai (2002), “Global Advertising Strategy,” in: International Marketing Review, Vol. 19(2), S. 176–189.
Perreault, W. D. Jr.; and L. E. Leigh (1989), “Reliability of Nominal Data Based on Qualitative Judgments,” in: Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 26 (May), S.135–148.
Rokeach, M. (1973), “The Nature of Human Values,” Free Press, New York.
Schwartz, S. H. (1992), “Universals in The Content and Structure of Values: Theoretical Advances and Empirical Tests in 20 Countries,” in: Zanna, M. (ed.): Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Academic Press, 25, New York, S. 1–65.
Slater, P. (1976), “The Pursuit of Loneliness: American Culture at the Breaking Point,” Beacon Press, Boston.
Tai, S. H. C. (1997), “Advertising in Asia: Localize or Regionalize?” in: International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 16, S. 48–61.
Wiles, R. and A. Tjernlund (1991), “A Comparison of Role Portrayal of Men and Women in Magazine Advertising in the USA and Sweden,” in: International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 10(3), S. 259–67.
Wiles, R., Wiles, C. R. and A. Tjernlund (1995), “A Comparison of Gender Role Portrayals in Magazine Advertising: The Netherlands, Sweden, and the U.S.,” in: European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 29(11), S. 35–49.
Worlin, L. D. (2003), “Gender Issues in Advertising-An Oversight Synthesis of Research: 1970— 2002,” in: Journal of Advertising Research, Vol. 43 (March), S. 111–129.
Zinkan, G. M. (1994), “Advertising Ethics: Emerging Methods and Trends,” in: Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23(3), S. 1–4.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2006 Deutscher Universitäts-Verlag ∣ GWV Fachverlage GmbH, Wiesbaden
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Moon, Y.S., Chan, K. (2006). Gender portrayals and the gender of nations: an extended study in Asian cultures. In: Diehl, S., Terlutter, R. (eds) International Advertising and Communication. DUV. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-8350-5702-2_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-8350-5702-2_18
Publisher Name: DUV
Print ISBN: 978-3-8350-0455-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-8350-5702-9
eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsBusiness and Management (R0)