Index IntroductionMethodsCoding ProceduresResultsResearch Question 1Research Question 2DiscussionConclusionWorks Cited:IntroductionEvery day, consumers are exposed to thousands of advertisements that contain communication messages, created to interact with consumer needs and convey an effective message. Therefore, characters in advertisements must be relevant to the target consumer and should contribute to the effective persuasion of the advertising message. The media, especially advertisers, have long used beautiful women as an important visual (nonverbal) element to attract viewers and sell products. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The October 2017 issue of Glamor Magazine provides ample evidence on this point. The purpose of this study is to analyze the representation of women and how racial demographics are reflected in American magazine advertisements. The main goal of this study is to see if there is a common theme across advertisements in depictions of women's body types, expressions, and poses. Another focus is on the distribution of Caucasian and African American women in advertisements. RQ1: In magazine advertisements, how are women portrayed in fashion and cosmetic advertisements? RQ2: Is the representation of Caucasian and African American people in magazine advertisements commensurate with their representation in all American advertisements? Methods The magazine chosen for the content analysis is the October 2017 issue of Glamour, a magazine that translates styles and trends for American women. To ensure that subsequent results were representative of Glamor magazines in general and not typical of just one magazine in particular, this specific issue was randomly selected from among the other twelve issues in circulation in 2017. A two-stage sampling procedure was used . First, advertisements depicting at least one woman were retained, excluding advertisements without women or with only female body parts. Furthermore, no repeat advertisements were selected for the sample. In the second stage, all the chosen advertisements were enumerated and a simple probability sampling procedure was undertaken. Ultimately, 50 out of 80 advertisements were selected. Coding Procedures For the first research question, women in advertisements are classified into two groups based on their positioning and actions in different advertisements: active and passive. The active category includes models performing the following actions: moving or moving, long-shot or full-body exposure angle, and various facial expressions. On the other hand, the passive category includes inactive models, medium or close-up shots, and with stiff facial expressions. The coding process specializes in advertisements promoting fashion and cosmetics; therefore excludes advertising of hygiene and female health products. Regarding the second research question, women in the advertisements are also coded into two distinct groups based on skin color: Caucasian women (with white, pale skin) and African-American women. American women (with darker, tanned skin). The categorization process excludes women of other races, such as Hispanic-Americans and Asian-Americans, as the race and ethnicity of these women were difficult to ascertain through pure visual observation and the sample does not meet the objective of the question of research. Results Research Question 1 The analysis revealed that 34 of the 50 selected samples were advertisementsof models that inactively promoted the targeted products. For example, 15 advertisements portrayed their women as active and lively. The ads showed women from the collarbone up and the models looked directly into the camera lens with an intriguing or mischievous look. All of these ads were promoting skincare and makeup products; then these women, with their feminine touch, caress or touch themselves or objects (the beauty product). An example to consider is the L'Oreal series of six facial products. The shots are similar in the sense that they enhance the beauty of the model wearing the product. Using a close-up shot, women are portrayed fully expressing their beauty, but remain inert, motionless, waiting for their face to be captured. The models all appear to be sitting or standing lazily while making minimal movements, supporting the idea that they are passive. Additionally, ten of the ads were full-body or low-angle shots of women engaged in various activities. The most notable feature of these ten ads were these active women. For example, models are positioned standing, facing the camera with their eyes fixed or avoiding eye contact, projecting the idea of ​​being in motion. The women in these advertisements are labeled as actively involved with the product they are advertising and establishing a genuine connection with the readers and their desirability. However, there remains an unidentifiable case with the 1941 Coach advertisement on page 8-9. In the advertisement the model appears to be wearing sunglasses, which makes correct categorization according to the established code impossible; however, the fixed pose combined with the medium shot subjects her to a passive attitude. From the results it can be deduced that 75% of the advertisements in this particular issue portray women as passive rather than active, and even when they are portrayed engaging in active activities, some elements of inactivity can still be found. Research Question 2The second research question concerns the racial representation of Caucasian and African American women in the magazine. Overall, of the 50 ads analyzed, African Americans appeared in approximately 10 ads, or 20% of the total ads analyzed. While black and white women elicit equally positive connotations about the product, it is clear that white women are more dominant and present in this particular issue. Representation within advertising has been a controversial issue regarding its inaccurate portrayal of race, especially considering the prevalence of underrepresentation in magazines with predominantly white audiences such as Glamour. Discussion It is positive to say that the content of advertising is moving away from the classic stereotypes of passive women, which is partly driven by American brands and advertising agencies; however, it will take a long time for active representations to become commonplace. According to the data collected, about two-thirds of women in advertisements are portrayed as passive, so the most harmful advertisements are those in which women appear either to fill the background of the scenario or to show off their beauty. . The findings suggest that women are still rooted in conventional norms of sexual inactivity and attraction. In the Athleta ad, a strong middle-aged woman is shown standing proudly facing the camera, wearing a sports bra, exposing a tattooed chest. The woman projects herself as healthy or headed towards a healthy lifestyle. However, even though she models for a brand that promotes performance and technical features for active women, she is photographed passively because there is nothey are evidence of real physical exercise. In the case of the Fabletics ad, the model is shown wearing bright sportswear; however, his hands are placed loosely in the background, giving the idea that he is only there for decoration or to blend into the background. That said, even in these sports advertisements, women are portrayed as highly passive and women with this type of appearance are often associated with objects and exclusively for commercial purposes. The fragmented display of female body parts and the exposure of women's bodies in advertisements greatly promote the objectification of their bodies. Although since the post-feminist 1990s, advertisers have attempted to construct multiple possible identities for women with the aim of changing their stereotypical image and increasing purchasing power, in their traditional exhibitionist role, women are yet simultaneously displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual impact so that they can be said to connote being looked at rather than promoting activity. Like the majority in the United States, Caucasian Americans are known to be overrepresented in the advertising spectrum as GOOD. This racial bias is unconsciously aggregated through corporate-funded magazines and advertisements. In this issue of Glamour, Caucasian Americans occupy a significant overrepresentation of approximately 80% of advertising images, which is somewhat similar to the ratio of whites to blacks in the American advertising market. According to Barker and Joiner, “[African-Americans'] presence was 17.7%…in the 2000 editions of news magazines” (B&J 5). From these results it is possible to deduce that the representation of Caucasian Americans and African Americans in this edition of Glamor is proportionate to the overall distribution of racial groups in American advertising. However, the precision and accuracy of the statement is only applicable to the year 2000; therefore, the data may have changed by now. However, the lack of true integration of black and white images into the general media reflects the disenfranchisement of African Americans in the population. In the Maybelline New York ad on page 72-73, there is only one African American model of the six models. She is positioned behind the other white models, away from the public eye, with most of her body covered by the others, leaving only her short white tank top visible, but the color creates a contrast between her tanned complexion and the white of her clothes. This may be due to the fact that Glamor's editorial team is predominantly white. White editors may not instinctively consider diversity issues or recognize misrepresentations as easily as editors of color might. On the other hand, an emphasis on White women as the primary focus of mainstream magazines may signal a marketing strategy to serve White women as a target audience. Despite the underrepresentation of women of color who occupy a notable portion of the audience of mainstream women's magazines, the trend appears to be moving in a positive direction. All in all, mainstream women's magazines generate the reasonable expectation that they imitate women's lives in reality; therefore, it is important to study possible misrepresentations in journals. Conclusion Content analysis is appropriate and beneficial for many research problems, particularly when public documents exist. However, it is not an accurate reflection of society and therefore should not be used for causal research. It's unclear whether Glamor is an appeal to a predominantly white female audience or a reflection.