Från "kvinnlig frigörelse" till "blygsamma super-förebilder" : En multimodal kritisk diskursanalys av förändringar i feministiska budskap i reklam över tid

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this paper is to research in which way feminist messages are incorporated and communicated through femvertisements from the 1970’s, 1990’s and 2010’s. In doing so our goal is to achieve an elaborated understanding of how feminism is used in advertisements as well as how these messages have changed over time. A theoretical framework consisting of feminist theory, gender theory, discourse theory and representation theory was applied. The study was conducted through a multimodal critical discourse analysis where nine advertisement pictures, three from each decade, were analysed. The purpose of the analysis was to identify the symbols and visual elements in the advertisements which carry meaning and relate to feminist discourses. The result of the study found that the femvertisements from the 1970’s, 1990’s and 2010’s were shaped by the feminist and social context in which they were produced. Advertisements from the 1970 ‘s related to the interests and goals of the first wave feminism and the Women’s Liberation Movement. Advertisements from the 1990’s related to postfeminist discourses regarding sexual liberation and women's perception of self worth and empowerment. Whereas advertisements from the 2010’s incorporated broader messages regarding female empowerment and support that align with the purpose and definition of “femvertising”. Furthermore, discourses regarding girls participation and engagement in sports were identified in advertisements from the 1990’s and 2010’s. Symbols associated with traditionally masculine domains were found in advertisements from all decades in use of supporting women's participation in masculine areas. Contrasting or contradicting messages were also identified in advertisements from all decades which led to uncertainty about the dominating discourse in the picture. In conclusion, the most prominent change over time was the nature of the feminist messages in relation to the feminist and social context in which they were produced.