BENIN RESIDENTS' VIEWS ON ADVERTISING AND GENDER STEREOTYPES IN THE NIGERIAN MEDIA

Abstract

This paper examined Benin residents’ views on advertising and gender stereotypes in the Nigerian media. A survey design was adopted, and residents of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, were sampled to provide their perspectives on the subject. A total of 400 residents participated in the study, with the questionnaire serving as the instrument for data collection. The results show that gender stereotypes are heavily used in advertisements, portraying women primarily as homemakers and objects of beauty, while men are depicted as leaders and decision-makers. Digital media were identified as the most prominent sources of these stereotypes. Moreover, the stereotypical portrayals were found to influence societal norms, limit the career ambitions of young women, and slow progress toward gender equality. The study recommended that advertising regulatory bodies enforce gender-sensitive standards to discourage stereotypical portrayals of both women and men and promote diverse, contemporary gender roles in Nigerian advertisements. Additionally, stronger monitoring and accountability mechanisms should be applied across all media platforms, particularly digital media, to ensure ethical and inclusive gender representation in advertising content.