K. Peirce et M. Mcbride, Aunt Jemima isn't keeping up with the energizer bunny: Stereotyping of animated spokes-characters in advertising, SEX ROLES, 40(11-12), 1999, pp. 959-968
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.