Gendered advertising to children: Doing gender differences through language in Brazilian toy advertisement
(A2025-126293)

AUTHORS

ANDRES RODRIGUEZ VELOSO, University of Sao Paulo; Yuri Dallabrida, Fundação Getulio Vargas’ São Paulo School of Business Administration FGV EAESP; Sofia Ferraz, FGV-EAESP; Vitor Nogami, Universidade Estadual de Maringá; Guilherme Shiraishi, Universidade de São Paulo

ABSTRACT

This study examines how Brazilian children's toy advertisements does gender differences by analyzing ad copy - a key yet underexplored element in advertising research. Building on the literature of doing gender differences, we analyzed 335 ads targeting boys and girls using readability indices (Automated Readability, Coleman-Liau, Gunning Fog) and linguistic features captured with LIWC. Ads targeting boys showed higher textual complexity, with longer sentences and more complex words. Linguistic analysis revealed gendered differences in emotional and motivational themes: ads for boys emphasized action, risk, and power, while ads for girls highlighted affiliation, care, and relational contexts. These patterns reflect broader societal norms of masculinity and femininity, perpetuating traditional gender roles. The findings underscore the need for greater gender sensitivity in children's advertising to challenge rather than reinforce stereotypes.