Gender Marginalization in Sports Participation through Advertising: The Case of Nike
Kirsten Rasmussen1, Mikaela J Dufur1, Michael R Cope1
1Department of Sociology, Brigham Young University, 2008 JFSB, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
Summary
Nike
Area of Science:
- Sport sociology
- Media studies
- Gender studies
Background:
- The sport sector promotes health by encouraging participation through role modeling.
- Inclusive role models can increase sport participation and health benefits.
- Stereotypical portrayals may discourage participation, limiting health benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze how a prominent athletic brand's advertising impacts gender stereotypes in sport.
- To assess Nike's commercials for diverse and inclusive gender portrayals over the past decade.
- To determine if Nike's advertising aligns with its socially progressive goals.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative content analysis of 131 Nike commercials from the last 10 years.
- Examination of gender portrayals and adherence to stereotypes within the advertisements.
Main Results:
- Nike commercials predominantly depict sports as a masculine domain, marginalizing diverse athletes.
- Most athletes featured adhere to traditional gender stereotypes.
- Advertising may discourage participation among those not conforming to promoted gender behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Nike's advertising reinforces traditional gender stereotypes in sports, potentially limiting inclusivity.
- The brand's role modeling may inadvertently discourage participation for marginalized groups.
- Continued reinforcement of gendered behaviors in sports media can hinder health promotion goals.
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