Remixing Gender in Advertising: A Qualitative Study of Early Adolescents’ Views of Gender Targeting in LEGO Commercials

Abstract: Young media users see a number of commercial messages each day that are carefully crafted to be attention-getting and appealing. Advertisers sometimes rely on gender stereotypes when marketing toys to children, making assumptions about who wants to buy or play with what product. In the current study, the researchers led a sample of 58 sixth-grade students in an exercise in which the audio component of LEGO commercials marketed to boys was played over the video component of LEGO commercials marketed to girls and vice versa. Researchers then drew qualitative data from students’ written responses to questions about how the commercials target boys and girls differently and what messages that targeting is sending to kids. Results indicate that participants of all genders considered production components of the commercials as well as how characters are depicted in their critiques of these gendered advertising practices targeted at young people.