Sexually Objectified Female Images in Pakistani Electronic Media Advertisements: An Application of CDA

Abstract

Sexual objectification of women in advertisements is a global issue. It prevails not
only in patriarchal and developing societies rather it is a huge issue in developed
countries as well. Advertisements, specifically, are a powerful platform where
women are presented as an object of gaze and sexual desire. This paper
endeavors to analyze the factors forming the proposition that girls and women
develop their primary view of their physical self by observing others. It also
attempts to find out the influences of such advertisements on society generally, and
on women specifically. The data for present study consist of advertisements from TV
channels as data selected through purposive sampling technique. Fairclough‟s „Three
Dimensional Model‟ (1995) and Fredrickson & Roberts‟ „Objectification Theory‟, (1997)
have been used as conceptual frameworks for the analysis of selected data. Findings of
the study indicate that TV commercials intensify and legitimize the female body as a
showcase for both the female and the male gaze. Furthermore, this study can open
avenues for future researchers who can work on stereotypical imaging of women
& breaking those stereotypes in recent television advertisements.