Are Spike’s Commercials More Sexist than Lifetime’s: A Comparison of Gender Role Portrayals in Advertising

In light of the proliferation of niche market networks and other trends towards market segmentation that have arisen in recent years, this study explored the prevalence of gender role stereotyping and product stereotyping in the commercials aired on gender-specific niche market networks. This study used content analysis to examine gender role portrayals in the advertisements played on Spike TV, Lifetime, and NBC. Results indicated that gender stereotyping was, in general, still prevalent in the commercials shown on all three networks. Female characters were more frequently associated with the home and family, while males had a stronger association with work and the business realm. When comparing across networks, the author found that stereotyping was not always shown in the same areas and that the same kind of stereotypes were not always emphasized. Raj: The only thing I’ve learned in the last two hours is that American men love drinking beer, pee too often, and have trouble getting erections. Leonard: Focus on the game, not the commercials, Raj. “The Cornhusker Vortex,” The Big Bang Theory (2009)