Key Findings

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This research was based upon advertisements from Citv and Channel 5 (UK television) during December 2006 to August 2007.

There are clear gender differences in the advertisements aimed at girls and those aimed at boys. One father noted 'I suppose [gender] is very obvious in terms of certain ads will have lots of pink and all girls and then the boyish ones will be cars and dinosaurs and all boys. Blatantly done!' Boys who like pink are associated with being ‘girlie’ and children as young as 4 years identified particular colours with specific genders.

Toys and gender

There are clear distinctions in the type of toys that different genders play with. For example, Roger (10 years) said that ‘I don’t think boys are really into babies and baby dolls’ and boys are never shown playing with babies or baby dolls. Hence there are clear distinctions being shown in terms of gender roles.


Selling Gender Ideology

Johnson and Young (2002) state that advertisements not only sell children the products themselves but also sell them gender ideology.

One mother noted that 'They kind of make them either action or all pink and they only have girls in them or boys in them. It doesn't take them long to work out what gender they are and I am pretty sure that is part of what has made his gender identity.'