Gender Stereotyping towards Children: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Crayola Television Advertisements

Capitalizing on gender stereotypes in television advertising is a highly used practice. The purpose of this research is to explore how boys and girls are represented in Crayola commercials to uncover whether or not gender stereotypes are still used to sell what many would consider a gender-neutral product. This research is important because as society progresses towards an accepting stance regarding children stepping outside of gender norms, television advertisements should be reflecting this progress. Through the use of qualitative content analysis, Crayola commercials over a 10-year period are examined to identify reoccurring gender stereotype themes, trends, or patterns. The findings were consistent with previous research in that television advertisements are still very gender biased, even when advertising what is considered a gender-neutral children’s product. Even though the stereotypes may not be super obvious or excessive, they are still present and constructing messages to its viewers in various degrees.