Aunt Jemima isn't keeping up with the energizer bunny: Stereotyping of animated spokes-characters in advertising

This study sought to examine one aspect of stereotyping in television adver tising, specifically, the use of animated spokes-characters as product repr esentatives and whether spokes-characters contribute to gender-stereotyped portrayals. Undergraduate students-of a variety of races and an almost equa l number of men and women-identified memorable spokes-characters, presumed genders, noted gender-distinguishing characteristics, and viewed programmin g featuring commercials with spokes-characters. Hypotheses were confirmed t hat participants will recall more male animated characters than female and that most of the spokes-characters in television advertising are male. Usin g male spokes-characters reinforces the stereotypical notion that males are more important than females. Such effects may be greater than those associ ated with other aspects of advertising largely because of the memorability and popularity of animated spokes-characters.