From below the glass ceiling: female perspectives in the world of advertising

ABSTRACT

The majority of investigations exploring gender issues in advertising agencies have focused on the barriers female creatives face. However, these challenges are not restricted to a singular department within an agency. This study examines how gender identity shapes women’s experiences in the advertising industry and seeks to understand why women are exiting the industry despite a growing number of women earning advertising-oriented degrees in recent years. Qualitative interviews with 18 female professionals from various departments within advertising agencies were analysed through the lens of Conservation of Resources Theory and Status Characteristics Theory to develop an appreciation of the lived experiences of female agency employees via a top-down (managerial) and bottom-up (employee) approach. Results revealed four key themes highlighting women’s experiences: Barbie Girls in an Advertising World, The Stepford Wives of the Agency, It’s a Girl’s Job, and Boys Will Be Boys. Implications for advertising practitioners and directions for future research are addressed.

KEYWORDS:

• Advertising industry
• advertising agencies
• gender
• boys’ club
• social characteristics theory
• conservation of resources theory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sophia Mueller

Sophia Mueller (MBA, San Diego State University) is a Ph.D. student of advertising in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida.

Eliana Dubosar

Eliana Dubosar (MA, University of Florida) is a doctoral student in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. Her research interest includes political communication.

Kasey Windels

Kasey Windels (PhD, University of Texas at Austin) is an associate professor of advertising, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida.