Social and ideological

stereotypes in children’s toy

advertisements in Greek

television

Maria KeramydaPreschool teacher,

MA

Exploration of the use of gendered codes,

dominant ideologies and stereotypes in children’s

toy advertisements

Production of an inter-scientific

analysis model for the purposes of children’s

TV advertisements

Sample:147 children’s

toy advertisements

Methodology

Tools:Semiotic analysis

Discriptive statistics

Discussion Aim

Exploration of the use of gendered codes,

dominant ideologies and stereotypes in children’s

toy advertisements

Production of an inter-scientific

analysis model for the purposes of children’s

TV advertisements

Sample:147 children’s

toy advertisements

Methodology

Tools:Semiotic analysis

Discriptive statistics

Discussion Aim

Research aims

ώς αναπαρίσταται το φύλο στην παιδική διαφήμιση;• How are races represented in children’s toy

advertisements?• How is childhood represented in children’s toy

advertisements?• How are toys represented in children’s advertisements?• Could the model proposed be a teaching tool for visual

literacy?

meanings

television receiver

sign

advertisement

toy

Semiotic analysis

Linguistic modelsSpeech

Narration

ConnotationPresence/absenceBipolar schemes

CodesGaze

IdeologiesStereotypes

The sample

• 147 children’s toy TV advertisements

• Recording period: 22/12/04 - 02/01/06

• TV stations Μega, ΑΝΤ1, Alter, Star, Alpha, Macedonia, ΝΕΤ

• Advertisements as a sign

Methodological tools

Discriptive statistics

Semiotic analysis

Table 1. Technical and material documentation of advertisements

The table consists of 18 fields:Α. S/N: serial number of the advertisement B. Name of product: the name of the product is

being recorded in Greek or English, exactly as it appears on the advertisement

C. Time: the period of broadcast is being recorded (Christmas, Easter holidays, end or beginning of school year)

D. Duration: the duration in seconds is being recorded

E. Space: the space where the plot of the advertisement is taking place is being recorded. Five sub-categories were identified

F. Oral signifieds: the speech of the narrator or the speaker is being recorded

G. Written text: the written text which is being displayed on the TV screen while the advertisement is being broadcasted

H. Musical signifieds: • Lyrics: we record whether the music contains

lyrics or not

• Type of music: the type of music used in the advertisement is being recorded. In this field

thirteen sub-categories were identified I. Colour (dominant): As dominant colour is

defined the one which is being displayed more often in the advertisement and therefore gets impressed in our minds after the broadcast. Thirteen sub-categories were identified

J. Animation: the presence or absence of animated figures, cartoons and extracts of animated films is being recorded

K. Self-presentation: we record whether the product is self-presented or presented by others

L. Presenter: as presenters we define the subjects which take part in the advertisement as consumers and/or narrators. Eight sub-categories were identified

M. Narrator: as narrators we define the subjects which take part in the advertisement as consumers and narrators. Six sub-categories were identified

N. Action: the actions, occupations, activities of the subjects are being recorded.

O. Voice-over: the “invisible” speaker’s sex is being recorded. Four sub-categories were identified

P. Voice over (dialogue): we record whether the voice-over contains a dialogue or not (speakers talking one after the other, not to each other).

Q. Company: the name of the manufacture company is being recorded. Thirteen companies were identified

R. Webpage: we record whether the written text contains a webpage address or not.

Table 2: Technical and material documentation of toys

The table consists of 9 fields:A. S/N: serial number of the advertisement B. Name of product: the name of the product is being

recorded in Greek or English, exactly as it appears on the advertisement

C. Receiver’s sex: we record the sex of the receiver to whom the toy/game is addressed. Three sub-categories were identified

D. Receiver’s age: we record the age of the receiver to whom the toy is addressed. Since in the advertisements there are no specific references to age, we classified the toys in three sub-categories according to the age of the presenters

E. Number of players: we record the number of players, according to the information provided by the advertisement. Three sub-categories were identified

F. Type of toy/game: we identified twenty sub-categories, which resulted from the semiotic description of the dominant signifiers and signifieds

G. Signifiers: in this field we describe all the objects/items of which the toy/game constitutes in pro-iconographic and iconographic terms.

H. Material: we record the material of the toy/game. Five sub-categories were identified:

I. Signifieds: we detect the meanings/concepts presented through the toys/games and form seven sub-categories/representations:

J. Codes: we detect the codes, the communicative context within signifiers and signifieds relate and give meaning

Advertisements’ distribution according to receiver’s sex

Αγόρια 37%

Κορίτσια 40%

Κορίτσια & αγόρια

23%

Girls and boys

Boys

Girls

Αγόρια

Προσχολικ

ή

Δημοτικό

Μικτή

Receiver’s age and genderΚορίτσια

Προσχολικ

ή

Δημοτικό

Μικτή

Κορίτσια & αγόρια

Προσχολική

Δημοτικό

Μικτή

Girls & boysGirls

Boys

Preschool

Elementary

Both

Both

Both

Pre school

PreschoolElementary

Elementary

Type of toy and receiver’s genderΚορίτσια

Ατομικό

Ομαδικό/επιτραπέζιο

Μικτό

Αγόρια

Ατομικό

Ομαδικό/επιτραπέζιο

Μικτό

Κορίτσια & αγόρια

Ατομικό

Ομαδικό/επιτραπέζιο

Μικτό

BoysGirls

Girls & boys

One player

One player

One player

MixedMixed

Mixed

Group/table game

Group/table game

Group/table game

Type of toy and receiver’s ageΟμαδικά/ επιτραπέζια

Προσχολική

Δημοτικό

Μικτή

Προσχολική

Δημοτικό

Μικτή

p

Μικτά παιχνίδια

Προσχολική

Δημοτικό

Μικτή

Ατομικά παιχνίδια

Προσχολική

Δημοτικό

Μικτή

PreschoolPreschool

Preschool

Elementary Elementary

Elementary

Mixed

Mixed

Mixed

One player

Mixed

Group/table game

Races’ representation

Λευκοί

Μαύροι

Αυτόχθονες

Αμερικανοί

Ασιάτες

Black

White

AsiansNative

Americans

The advertisement Spiderman Flip ‘n Trap Playset

Semiotic analysis of the advertisement Spiderman Flip ‘n Trap Playset

advertisement

toy

Space:Indoor/ animation

Type of toy: action figoureReceiver:

boys

Colour: red, blue

Music:rock

Signifieds: representations of conflict

Codes: gendered, war

Speaker: man

Presenters: 2 boys

Narrator: boy

Baby amore gendered/

class family

Little People VillageEducational/technological interculturalBodily/commodity Professional/social

Spiderman war/athletic

Bipolar schemes

masculine feminine

cool colours warm colours

Rock music Pop music

group One player

Western/European Other