Goffman's Theory (1972) - Gender Representations in Advertising

In the portrayal of men and women, advertising often uses the following codes and conventions:

• Superiority, Domination & Body Language: Men are shown in dominant positions and appear to be reflective of thought and intelligence. Women are physically portrayed in sexual or reclining poses with blank or inviting expressions. 

• Dismemberment: On females, parts of the body such as legs, chest, etc., are used, rather than the full body. This is often applied to sell products which are not related to the body, such as mobile phones (right) 

• The Voice-Over Authority: In moving image advertisements, male voices are used as voice-overs in commercials rather than females.