Socially defunct: A comparative analysis of the underrepresentation of older women in advertising

In our analysis of a large sample of television commercials, we find that the underrepresentation of older women is more extreme than the underrepresentation of older men. We investigate the cultural significance of this underrepresentation through comparisons of cultural schemas in advertising for age and gender. Our multivariate analyses show that while there are significant gender differences, both younger women and younger men are shown in a diversity of contexts—namely in employment and a variety of domestic contexts. Older men are portrayed more frequently on the job and with more job authority than other groups. In contrast, older women lack any clear occupational or familial roles and are the only group not associated with a socially valued schema. An interpretive reading of older women as primary characters in commercials complements our quantitative results. The cultural significance of media underrepresentation emerges through the comparison of cultural schemas for men and women of varying age groups simultaneously.

► Content analysis of TV commercials shows differences in portrayals of men and women.
► Younger women are represented in a diversity of roles at younger ages.
► However, older women are drastically underrepresented in any roles.
► Men's representation as occupational authority figures increases as they age.
► These patterns in media content reproduce cultural schemas about women, men and aging.