Counter-Stereotype Portrayals: Exploring Factors Affecting Young Men’s Perception Towards Contemporary Indian Advertising

Counter-stereotype advertising is a new phenomenon to portray gender roles in contemporary advertising. Advertisers no longer stick with the traditional portrayals of women but instead promote gender equality in household and office chores. The necessity of teaching household chores to a man is a trend in recent advertisements. The study aims to identify factors affecting young men’s perception towards counter-stereotype gender role portrayals in contemporary Indian advertisements. The sample included 200 young men from central universities located in Delhi. Five factors were identified that affect men’s perception of gender role portrayals. The study will help advertisers understand what men are liking in cross-gender advertisements. On this ground, advertisers can introduce new strategies to attract maximum male audiences.