Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (SJHSS)
Volume-4 | Issue-05 | 326-334
Review Article
Gender Representation in Billboard Advertisements
Ojiakor-Umenze, Ifeoma C., Onebunne Jude I., Ekezie Chinwendu
Published : May 30, 2019
Abstract
This study is about gender representation in billboard advertisements. It analyzed how male and female were represented
in billboard advertisements in Nigeria. A fleeting glance at billboards in Nigeria often show a disconnect between the
models and the products they represent. This observation led to employing the social constructionist theory of
representation which posits that meaning is constructed by the individual users of the language to ascertain how the males
and females are represented in billboard advertising with the unit of analysis as sex, roles and dressing of the products
spokesperson, and product connection. The data for this study which were gathered through content analysis of billboards
and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were analyzed using semiotic and textual analysis. This study which is both a
quantitative and qualitative study found out that men are located mostly outside the home while the females were always
seen within the home and less in the work environment. Again the issue of no-product connection was higher on the
female side that mostly played decorative roles. This study becomes timely in the heels of the efforts towards eliminating
gender discrimination and stereotypes. It is also hoped that this work will be a stepping stone for further research on
gender representation in Nigerian billboard advertisements.