The Depiction of Female Models in Sport Television Commercials in the United States by Degree of Slenderness: An Appraisal

Abstract

This manuscript narrates the results of an examination of the portrayal of the degree of slenderness of female models in sport marketing television commercials in the United States. A visual content analysis was employed to gather and to interpret the data. In turn, the analysis revealed that the commercials utilized substantial numbers of models who were inordinately slender, depicted these models more favorably than they did heavier models, and presented them in a fashion that pointed to superior social status and hierarchy positions.

KEYWORDS:

• advertising
• models
• slenderness
• sports
• television

Notes

∗∗Indicates a proportion that is significantly larger than the proportion in the total population, according to a t test at the .05 level.

^#Indicates a proportion that is significantly larger than the proportion in the age 8–19 group, according to a t test at the .05 level.

∗Indicates a proportion that is significantly smaller than the underweight proportion, according to a t test at the .05 level.

∗Indicates a proportion that is significantly smaller than the underweight proportion, appearing in the second column of the table, according to a t test at the .05 level.

∗Indicates a proportion that is significantly smaller than the underweight proportion, appearing in the second column of the table, according to a t test at the .05 level.