The Influence of Culture on Portrayals of Women in Television Commercials: A Comparison Between the United States and Japan

The present study attempts to examine the influence of culture on portrayals of women in advertising by examining television commercials from the United States and Japan. The two countries are similar in many respects but the norms regarding appropriate roles for women are quite different in the two cultures. Content analysis of television commercials showed that advertisements are to a large extent a reflection of society.