RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Children's Responses to Gender-Role Stereotyped Advertisements
JF Journal of Advertising Research
JO J Advert Res
FD WARC
SP 255
OP 266
DO 10.2501/S002184990808029X
VO 48
IS 2
A1 Aysen Bakir
A1 Jeffrey G. Blodgett
A1 Gregory M. Rose
YR 2008
UL http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/48/2/255.abstract
AB Research indicates that adult's gender-role perceptions can influence their responses toward different types of advertising appeals; however, it is not known whether the same is true for young children. Given that children's gender-role stereotypes vary across both age and gender, it is possible that their responses toward different types of advertisements might also vary. Accordingly, this study examines whether preadolescent boys and girls differ in their attitudes toward advertisements that incorporate agentic or communal gender-role attributes. The results are managerially relevant. The findings suggest that marketers can target young boys and girls with a common set of advertisements. However, advertisements should convey agentic themes when targeted toward older preadolescent girls, and communal themes when targeted toward younger preadolescent girls. Considering that children represent a large and growing consumer segment this issue deserves greater attention.