Ads targeted at women

In previous blogs we have see how women are shown in the advertisements. Most often these ads are targeted towards the male audience.
To sell to a woman, advertising relies on that modern idea (only a few hundred years old) about how men and women relate -- romance. Romance fits into the woman's intellectual view of relationships since its major element, courtship, the process by which men apply to be and women select mates, is the discovery of how the male does or does not satisfy her societal criteria for a suitable sexual partner. Rarely does the romantic appeal contain the blatant sexual messages that appear in ads aimed at men since such messages would counter the intellectual view. Although an ad may use a man's body as an attention getting device, he is usually shown in a romantic rather than sexual context.
For ads aimed at women, they can achieve the romance approach through using stereotypical images: roses, soft light and music, a doting man (often a bit bumbling and thus endearing). The ad sells the product on the basis that its purchase will give the woman this feeling of romance in her life.
For example, diamond advertisements use a romantic approach. Although men buy most diamonds, they buy them for women; in general, she makes the purchase decision. Thus, it makes sense to aim the ads at the woman. The images are of soft lighting, elegant surroundings, and an obviously well-to-do man (who is also sometimes a supportive and nurturing parent) offering the gift of diamonds. These images satisfy a woman's societal criteria for a desirable man: money, status, taste, and sensitivity to her wants and needs. If there are any sexual undertones, they are extremely subdued and non-threatening.
Thus, it is clear that sex is a strong appeal to use in advertising. However, it is a gender linked appeal. Sex easily sells to men; it is an adjunct to women.

Restriction in Ads

In India “Indecent Representation of Women Act” governs the way women are shown in the ads. This act was enacted in 1987, supposedly in response to demands from the women's movement to tackle the derogatory depiction of women in the media.
It defines “indecent representation of women' as the “depiction in any manner of the figure of a woman, her form or body or any part thereof in such a way as to have the effect of being indecent or of being derogatory or denigrating women or is likely to deprave, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals of any person or persons of any class or group”.
However it is not without its shortcomings. It is said to be curtailing the right to freedom of speech and expression. It also is sometimes used to camouflage the discomfort with woman’s sexuality. It is also supposed to be sexist in nature because of the representation of terms of women’s shame and honour.
The controversy over the banning of the Amul Macho and Lux Cosy underwear advertisements, under the Cable Television Network Act, in July 2007, is a prime example of how the portrayal of women's sexuality can be censored under the guise of obscenity and indecency.
At the same time the law does not clearly deal with the stereotypical representation of women in the ads and seems to focus more on the sexual representation of the women
So rather than expanding its scope on the sexual representation side, it should also look at the way the women are represented in the ads in a restricted role