From below the glass ceiling: female perspectives in the world of advertising

Abstract

The majority of investigations exploring gender issues in advertising agencies have focused on the barriers female creatives face. However, these challenges are not restricted to a singular department within an agency. This study examines how gender identity shapes women’s experiences in the advertising industry and seeks to understand why women are exiting the industry despite a growing number of women earning advertising-oriented degrees in recent years. Qualitative interviews with 18 female professionals from various departments within advertising agencies were analysed through the lens of Conservation of Resources Theory and Status Characteristics Theory to develop an appreciation of the lived experiences of female agency employees via a top-down (managerial) and bottom-up (employee) approach. Results revealed four key themes highlighting women’s experiences: Barbie Girls in an Advertising World, The Stepford Wives of the Agency, It’s a Girl’s Job, and Boys Will Be Boys. Implications for advertising practitioners and directions for future research are addressed.

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