Portrayal of women in Asian advertising

According to a survey done in Asian countries by custom market research agency 'Research International', today's woman has become smarter, more discerning and more confident, but in contrast, advertising has been slow to respond to the changing attitudes of women.

"Brand owners are failing to engage female consumers with their communication," said the study -- 'Communicating with modern urban women in Asia'.

The survey, which was conducted in cities, including Mumbai, Shanghai, Bangkok and Singapore, said that advertisers continued to portray women in poor light.

"Marketers are continuing to present women in traditional roles and focus on old cliches, resulting in the alienation of many female consumers," it said.

The study was aimed at determining what works and what does not when communicating with women in order to help the industry find a fresh perspective, while dealing with this important consumer segment.

The report found that women unanimously disapproved of advertisements which portrayed them as being unable to solve problems.