CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
It is rare this days to see adverts broadcast on television without women playing prominent and visible roles which range from complimentary, subjective, subordinate to major actors in most televisions adverts. These roles may be ascribed by men who may not only enhance the product being advertised but add color, glamour and pleasant feelings to viewers whose interest, attention and patronage are very much sought after.
This women could be seen often times in the background playing seductive roles in delta soap. The sole attraction and the major actors were the women shown at the pitch where the glamour was most manifest, although there were men there but usually the first attraction.
Women are therefore beginning to get involved in adverts not only as subordinates but also as major characters and most times found themselves in decision making positions. The term advertising can be defined and used in many different ways. One widely used definition appropriate for many years but no longer so was simple ‘‘salesmanship print’’ perhaps a more precise definition of the subject advertising would be the paid use of adoption of a product service and idea. An identified sponsor could define it as any paid form of non personal presentation and promotion of idea, goods and services.
Although modern advertising is only about 100 years old and the use of advertising actually dates back to at least 10th century BC. The use of picture in advertising is necessary. Advertisement with names and symbols on them are always easy from both literates and illiterates to identify with the development of printing, advertising made its first appearance in a form more nearly related to its present one
A small poster by William claxson 1450 promoted the sale of service book published. The first known newspaper advertisement was a book notice which appeared in German news book in 1591.
It is of note that the common form of advertisement at the time were newspapers, street signs, posters and handbills. The used was made of by the United States government during the civil war to sell bonds.
The radio made its incursion into the advertisement world and began to challenge seriously newspaper and others, television became very controversial because it changed the role of radio as it became the source of in home entertainment since 1950s. The scientific nature of advertising perhaps has created a broad and wide room which impropriated the woman folk and exploitation of their intricate characters and qualities, women traditionally are seen in term of their appearance sexually and domestic in relations
Accordingly, feminist researcher like inch man and busty conclusively submit that women are portrayed largely in term of their sexuality or domestic city, while men tend to be shown as dominant, active and authoritative.
This perhaps explains to a great extent why the roles played by women earlier on were subordinate to men. As it has been the practice until perhaps to recent times, the makes that major decisions handle senior executive parts think and map out strategies for execution f plans on complimentary basis.
Nowadays, the impact of women in advertising has generated a lot of controversy in many parts of the world, some argue that women aroused as followers in advertising, they see women as an ornament that are used to beautify the advertisement they further went to say that women garnish the advertisement making it appealing to the eyes. To them the seductive nature of women helps a lot in creating interest in the product being advertised.
Perhaps this accounts for why most advertisement agencies see or feel the impact of women in advertising as a powerful polarized force of feminine attraction over masculine, a phenomenon well cherished for quick awareness of adverts and sales of products.
The argument here reveals a situation of attraction and sustenance as a major factor in any advertisement. These agencies use renowned since men and women alike admire television adverts, there are advanced examples as that of menarche beer and cannon beer, which use women widely despite the fact that men actually consume the product more than females. Also product adverts like delta soap, joy soap etc call to mind what effects women roles on advertising can play on the audience.
The impact of women in advertising and indeed other endevours are perceived differently from community to community and according to women in the traditional society to which they belong.
In a country like Greece, women basically occupy themselves with domestic chores and keeping the family religiously alive while their male counterparts have the duty of providing things from outside world that keeps the family going.
In Germany women play together role, they go to hunt with their male flock, go to war most times with them, farm and prepare the food for the husband and family. Women here are often times treated same adverts with men, though both of them do not enjoy equal rights and privilege especially inheritance.
The American situation may perhaps be a little different, women are initially subjected to ascribed roles, this gradually began to wane as women liberation movement became very rampant and the roles of women in such places became more recognized and appreciated.
To African and Nigeria society women should remain in their traditional and remain in their background, unseen and unheard. The African society perceived exposure of women as most unwelcome thing.
In certain parts of Africa tradition society exposing of females bodies is termed a taboo, just like the Muslim community forbid women from exposing themselves to certain practices which they term as evil and ungodly.
Thus it is not only in advertising but in order field of endevour where pronounced roles are unseen at not for women, but in modern times. Women are beginning to be exposed and can now engage in activities without much more critics .
Perhaps, advertising are now so negligently perused that it has glamour or for some other reasons sometimes sublime and sometimes pathetic that women play the controversial role in virtually every advertisement broadcast
This research venture is aimed at not only xraying impact of women but in everyday endeavour both in modern and ancient times, outlining reasons and explanation and aligning such roles and activities of women in various parts of the globe.
The field survey research method which was adopted for this considering the nature of the topic, there was the need to interview men, women and other members of the society on matters relevant to the study.
