The advertisement portrays gender stereotypes. The "Nerds" are shown as boys who study bugs indoors wearing glasses, sweaters, and bowties. They are portrayed as easily frightened. The "Cool Boys" are shown as boys having fun outdoors catching and squishing bugs while scaring girls. They are portrayed as excited and wearing t-shirts and jeans without glasses. These stereotypes benefit advertisers by creating an image of what is "cool" to sell more toys, but can harm how children see themselves if they don't fit the stereotypes.

1. Gender Stereotypes
for males

2. Gender Stereotypes
for Females

3. Investigation of real bugs
advertisement

4. Investigation of Real Bugs Advertisement
When we observed the real bugs advertisement we made the following observations:
Girls:
Pace & Editing:
Are portrayed as easily frightened by bugs
“Nerds” – slow pace, single camera angle, single shot
No girls were seen playing with the spiders
“Cool Boys” – fast paced, several shots per scene, range
Clothing:
of camera angles
“Nerds” bowtie, sweater vest, plaid or button-
Actions:
down shirt
“Nerds” – studying bugs, nodding, don’t actually touch
“Cool Boys” T-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, baseball
bugs
caps
“Cool Boys” – shooting, squishing, stomping, scaring girls
Glasses:
and dad
“Nerds” – all of them have glasses
Facial Expressions:
“Cool Boys” – none of them have glasses
“Nerds” – passive, interested, eyes wide, looking at bugs
Setting:
only
“Nerds” – indoors, probably in a science lab or
“Cool Boys” – excited, mouths open, looking directly at
classroom
the camera or at each other
“Cool Boys” – outdoors, at home
Weight:
Music:
“Nerds” – one boy is slightly overweight
“Nerds” – slower paced, classical
“Cool Boys” – none of the boys are overweight
“Cool Boys” – fast paced, rock guitar
Relationship to Girls:
Voiceover:
“Nerds” – none
“Nerds” – male, precise, almost British accent
“Cool Boys” – scare them, shoot at them
“Cool Boys” – male, younger, fast paced, frenetic
http://www.ithaca.edu/looksharp/General%20Media%20Literacy%20Lessons/Real%20Bugs/Real%20Bugs%20Teachers%20Gu
ide.pdf

5. Real Bug Investigation
We think that stereotypes are used in advertisements because:
 the producers have so little time to convey their messages.
 there is an intended audience they are targeting
 there is an imagine they are creating (cool kids play with this toy)
Who could benefit by these messages:
the producers of this toy would benefit from the message that cool kids play
with this toy as all kids want to be cool so all kids would what to buy the
toy and be seen with the toy. (equals more money for producers)
Who could be harmed by this message:
Girls who choose to play with the toy might be seen as ‘butch’, because they
are meant to be afraid of it.
Boys who do not want to play with real bugs might be seen as a nerd or not
cool

6. Stereotypes shown in favourite
programme
My results observations of stereotypes while watching Transformers
25
20
15
Male
Female
10
5
0
Ads Programme

7. Results for girls and boys
All Boys Results
All Girls Results
25
35
30
20
25
15
20
Male Male
10 Female 15 Female
10
5
5
0 0
Ads Programme Ads Programme

8. Whole class Results
40
35
30
25
20 Male
Female
15
10
5
0
Ads Programme
There are more gender stereotypes in ads. This might be because the people
selling the products are targeting kids who watch certain programmes. More
male stereotypes shown in ads throughout ‘boy’ programmes, more female
stereotypes shown ads throughout girls programmes

9. Advertising and Health
The Average Woman
HEIGHT 1.63m
WEIGHT 68kg
The Average Model is
HEIGHT 1.80m
WEIGHT 53kg
Female models are getting thinner and thinner. We see images and want be like them.
Often they are photo shopped and what we are shown is not real. It is an impossible
standard of beauty. For our health we must understand this and be happy with who we
are and how we look. Being healthy is more important than being too thin.

10. Girls in advertisements
Girls
Girls can and do like to build things too! Girls like to solve crime too!

11. Boys playing with ‘girl’ toys
Boys can enjoy playing with ‘girl’ toys. It teaches them to care for others. Men
cook, clean and look after kids too.
http://www.grandmasbriefs.com/home/2012/5/3/boys-and-girls-toys.html
http://frombirthtopuberty.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/my-son-plays-with-dolls-what-should-i-do/