WOMEN IN ONLINE ADVERTISEMENTS: A STUDY OF YOUTUBE

Abstract

Mass media are essential not only in promotion and propagation of innovative ideas but also in transformation of the society. It has been observed that with rapid growth of online users in the world, Internet has become one of the fastest growing mediums. India is world’s third largest Internet user having 31 per cent increase over March 2012, (Hindu,
2013). The evolution of YouTube from a non-advertising supported to an advertising supported online media shows the impact of advertising on media content sites in today’s world. This increasing dependency on online advertising can also alter the nature of online media from a non-commercial interest to social networks based on commercial interest (Ha, 2008). As a result the study focuses on YouTube’s top ten most viewed advertisements of 2013 while trying to establish its relation to and portrayal of women as well as also raising questions about the nature of these advertising regarding social causes and welfare.