A Study Of Spectators Perception About The Women Objectification In Commercials Of Pakistani Electronic Media

The Western media has conducted extensive research on the objectification of women and has now become an established research field for feminist scholars. However, in Pakistan, the representation of women in television advertising and their objectification has received little attention. This research paper tries to describe the point of view of the spectators in contrast to the women objectification in TVCs. Survey research technique has been applied for the examining the views of 200 respondents of the survey and were classified based on gender. Usually, the advertisers use women as the marketing object to attract the attention of the consumers .The study reveals that women are portrayed as sex object for sexual satisfaction due to male chauvinist society. This study concludes that portrayal of women in advertisements is objectified sexually and uses women as commodity to capture the consumers. Overall evidence of female portrayal as a sex object is found in television commercials in Pakistani media and these commercials do not reflect culture and traditions of Pakistan.


Introduction
Mass media i.e. television, newspapers, magazines, social media and movies is a form of the social institution which shapes gender perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors based on norms, values, morality, faith, and ethics. People perceive the world through the lens of media hence perceive their own image itself as well. The advertisement is an important marketing tool using for promotion and selling products now become part of mass media. It conveys messages from an organization, establishment and political campaign based on information of a worthy content helps for construction a particular action (Aluwaliya, 2007). This study reveals women's portrayal which makes out in Pakistani commercials whether their image is according to the social customs and morals and adversely affects the identity of women.
In advertisements, women are used as a motif or a symbol to make advertising efficient and potent. Women's objectification in mass media, especially in T.V. commercials has a long history (Berberick, 2010). Betty Friedan condemns in her early text "The Feminine Mystique" that women's unsatisfied gender role limits her abilities. She also criticized sexist portrayal of women in advertisements which are the themes of research that have caught the attention of feminists (Baehr, 1981;Strinati, 1995). Women's rights activists have been critically analyzed the marketing structure and trendy textualization which undermine the women's image as young, pretty and skinny women (Lewis, 2002, p. 316). Advertisements in T.V. commercials can strengthen and regularize women's objectification and sexualization (Berberick, 2010;Kilbourne, 2002).
Szymanski cited Barber that television commercials use a female metaphor (body) as a sales promotion for its target spectators. Women use to trading the miscellaneous merchandise from food products to male accessories. Feminists believe that television advertisements are not selling and promoting products but just dealing with sexist attitude and doing so to make women become objects of desire sex. This paper raises a key issue that advertising does not only build the Pakistani Electronic Media ideal beauty trends but also standardize it into a cultural standard. The Feminist researches about female representation in television advertisements analyze that television commercials often portrays a narrow picture of gender consequently women are depicted in a sexist manner (Szymanski et, al. 2011).
Our male-dominated society regards women as a passive, attractive and flimsy agent it also affects the consumer behavior through which advertisers use women as a piece of adornment due to male superiority or patriarchal system in society. In addition, treating women as viable sex objects spread widely throughout the world. As commercialization have been increasing at every level, women primarily show in traditional roles as housewives and mothers when necessities of their interests observe meanwhile give a picture of a sexualized body to make the consumer product more amusing (Kaptan, 2011). Phantasmagoria of the feminine portrait in advertising has limited the body, soul, and spirit of women to serve male goals. Advertisements build a consumer behaviour and trapped people who make a decision on the basis of ad rather than attributes of the item.
Dated back to 1850s, advertisement companies established a new concept of indulging women for marketing in ads of a variety of goods such as food products, outfits, logistics, home accessories, tobaccos, and beverages. The depiction of women is totally sexualized and objectified in these ads to selling products such as tobacco companies which introduced women fully naked in their commercials (Di Salvatore, 2010). The harsh reality is that women's portrayal in commercials is more convincing to spectators of all ages and advertisers have enhanced this perception for increasing market value of the product. When an advertisement commences with a beautiful lady, posturing in various appealing ways and persuade to goods or services offered by the advertisers.
According to Dispenza (1976) women are exploited by the patronages for the publicity of both male and female accessories based on sensual allures. The manipulation of women in television commercials as an erotic appeal seems to be diminishing the female's identity in marketing procedure. The female body exploits because of its sex in advertising and advertisers use beautification of the female body as a striking device for marketing which reduces women's selfesteem and ignores other human traits and attributes as well (NARB 1975). The sexualized concern of women in marketing accomplishes by uncovering some parts of the female body as erogenous region such as hair, face, legs, lips, breasts and so on. A great number of women presented in revealing dresses like wearing swimming costumes whereas men fully dressed up with decency (Hall & Crum, 1994). In this regard, Mills (1995) argued that this breakdown of women identity has two major consequences: first, the body converts into objectified and desired obsession secondly female model does not portray as a conscious living being in commercials and depicts as according to the male gaze.
Conventionally in every misogynist society, the female body is being an element for the male pleasures and now an essential part of advertisements in the communication industry. This notion is also justified by Kuhn (1985) that historically a female body as eye candy is a subterranean object in male chauvinist societies. In addition, she supposed that women presented in beautified and embellish style in imprinted or photographed metaphors which remind us that women are consistently the control and possessed by men. Use photogenic pictures of women in advertisements to entertain the men. In this mode, it is perfect for men to gaze and evaluate women and make progress based on these fancies. On the other hand, Coward (1985) stated that women make herself more amusing so that remain more siren-like to get the concentration of men.
Pakistani media and businesses are not immune to the strategic trends of advertisement. In Pakistani media, women employ to propping up and sell all sorts of products and using her outlooks in ads to appeal the consumers. These outlooks associate with women's identity, dignity and cultural representation which actually do not represent the culture but weaken her beneficial role and position in society. Unnecessary representation of women in advertisements has overwhelming outcomes on society and leads to problems facing by woman commonly. The incorporation of women in advertisement business is not the problem, but to portray them in a pessimistic approach and to transmit the false message to the society is questionable. Women are sexually objectifying when exhibits at commercials and justify both male and female gaze in advertisements of Pakistan as well as women's success is only base on her outlooks and appearance except her ability. These images create new concepts of women's persona which do not meet Pakistani culture but accepted women through these objectifying style in all settings (Ullah & Khan,2014). According to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Code of Conduct, obscenity in any way or glorification of adultery, lustful passions or non-Islamic values is not allowed to advertise. Any vulgar, offensive themes or treatments direct towards the virtue of home, family, and minors are strictly prohibited (PEMRA, 2009).

Statement of the Problem
Advertisements are marketing tool presented women in a stereotypical way to sell the product. It shows gender biases and patriarchal approach of people. In advertisements, promoters use women as a striking object to capture the audience, male and female spectators. This study analyzed the representation of the female character as a bunny in the commercials and set the standards by which people sexually objectify women and does not show our tradition. Thus, using sexist images of attractive and revealing dressed women mainly to gratify this patriarchal society rather than expose the women's intelligence and capacity. The central theme of the study is about women objectification in media particularly in Pakistani Electronic Media television advertisements, are found to possess a unique signification which strengthens the male gaze. Despite the fact, women are working in every field even now become a key element in media facing many problems. These problems become social settings and are also accepted by women as well. Women's sexuality uses as a tool to enhance the business. The images of the women in media fabricate to view on man's fantasy and desire. Women are exploited in dogmatic commercials with displaying erogenous female physique to promote goods that not describe the product. The following paper tries to find out the opinion of the audiences about the advertisements and objectification of women. Advertisements of every product either home appliances, female accessories or male accessories depicting women in very sexually-fashioned manner makes this notion more likely that all women are sexual objects and only get success when she presents herself according to social and commercial demand base on erotic aspiration and the male gaze.

Objectives of the Study
The basic questions related to each research project are about its goals and actual impact. Following are the objectives of the present study: 1. To find out the reasons of representation of female characters as a bunny in the advertisements and why. 2. To find out the reasons why people want to see women as sex objects in the advertisements. 3. To find out whether the appearance of women in the advertisements is adjacent to our traditional and cultural values. 4. To find out the gratuitous renderings of women in advertisements which stimulus our cultural values, in a negative manner.

Literature Review
Advertising socially demonstrates reflection and nature of our lives. Advertising does not simply convey the product information but disseminates information about social representation that encourages the formation of social models within society (O'Barr2015). As Ross and Byerly (2008) point out advertisements in media often sees women as the passive and docile agent. At the same time, Ross and Byerly (2008) also mentioned that they are changing the proposed role of the women working in media, but there are still some restrictions for women. Cheng and Chang (2009) analyzed women's role as sex plea in media promotion which does not change due to the producers emphasize on alluding human instinct hence they use women postures having hidden messages. By the passing time, women's involvement in media is increasing and advertising on television began to use women as a way to sell products (Burton & Lichtenstein, 1988). Collins (2011) points out that women are still one of the main targets of product marketing and 46 Huma Afaque, Nasreen Aslam Shah presents women in a compliant manner for glamorize the product and capture the audience. Similarly, Kuppelwieser & Sarstedt (2014) indicated that when flicks the magazine pages, ads are very eye-catching at first glance and models portray simply as gendered symbols or attractive items in advertising. Stankiewicz and Rossell (2008) also argued women only have image value just for selling the products and such identity of women has been appreciated and sold almost with the product. It merely undermines the self-esteem and respect of many women in society and enhances the male gaze.
According to Abel et al. (2010) over the past two decades, the integration of various forms of female body images in advertising has increased significantly, and female representatives in advertisements are thinner and far below their average weight. However, Mogel (2010) addresses media stereotypes related to women specifically in the advertisements which portray stereotypes observe the role of women as intimate objects with meek characters. Biermann (2011) discourses women's roles in many parts of the world have been shaped by the media as housewives primarily focus on house cleaning and women portray as sexual objects through electronic media. Ullah and Khan (2011) and Khan (2010) believe that the Pakistani media has targeted women and does not portray the actual culture. Electronic media, especially promotion of commercials, put women in a relationship of affiliation, passiveness and sexual availability. Das (2000) found the diversity between Asian and Western advertising style in television commercials and females presentation as sexual objects on Western advertising is higher than Asian advertising. Munshi (1998) analyzed that these modifications may be due to a greater emphasis on unique religious and family values as well as eastern culture.
Advertising in electronic and print media portrays men as dominant, women as submissive and eye candy. It is interesting to note that the media's objectification of women has reached a certain level, that is, some photos concentrate on a dehumanized identity of women. Stankiewicz and Rosselli (2006) argue that men in advertising visualize well dressed; they appear confident and respected while women present enticement and traditional roles. It asserts here that men dress up for the economy and the public sector, while women are beautiful and attractive. Barber (2011) explains that television commercials label women as an erotic item rather than women as human. According to the Lambiase &Reichert 2003, &Furnham andPaltzer (2011) sexually portraying messages tell women that if they use certain shampoos, bleaching creams or body lotions, they have increase the chance of interaction with a handsome man. Television advertising is considered an important factor in shaping stereotyped gender identity and strengthening the culture of gender discrimination (Szymanski et al., 2011;Ullah and Khan, 2011). Tiggeman and Kuring (2004) discussed that the content of television use as a tool Pakistani Electronic Media to shape our understanding of society, and it generates ideas that influence our behavior. Dickey J. (2006) argues that commercials, advertisements, and posters only represent women as sexual objects and they are for sexual pleasure. Most advertisements are designed to illustrate curves and cuts in the female body.
Simrogh (2003) show the picture women's exploitation in "Women's portrayal" that she only exploits for tricky illustrations and selling goods. It is believed that women's only concern in their appearance, hair, and beauty. They are sexual objects, who have no tasks but to please men. In addition, their hobbies make delusions and dreams. Regrettably, today's media ignore self-proclaimed morality, customs, culture, respect and violates the universal norms of the society (Baker 2005).
Furthermore, some researchers have studied that from 1950 to 1970, the trends of showing up women in advertising has changed from more accurate and up-to-date pictures. They confirmed in the study that the symbolic female representation has changed in recent years (Mager& Helgeson, 2010). Advertising does not show the true value of women in society, they have changed the perception of typical, scared and shy women, making them modern guaranteed and independent personality (Mager& Helgeson, 2010;Orth &Honancova, 2004).
Women enter the "traditional" areas of life, such as entertainment and culture/art. Women are usually assigned to areas of life that are less important. Most occupations seem to be conquered by men (Orth & Holancova, 2004;Stankiewicz & Rosselli, 2008). As one might expect, female-dominated occupations are housewives/parents and sex workers while men are dominant and creators of society, women are not practical and always under their control and accomplish domestic tasks, such as domestic work, child care, and satisfying male sexual requirements (Orth & Holancova, 2004). Therefore, it will be more beneficial to consider the main areas of stereotypes about women in future research.
Thus, the depiction of women highlights the notion that in advertisements women's body is exposed in the form of short dresses and believes that women are objects rather than humans (Stets & Burke, 2000). The way some models work is socially unacceptable despite the fact Women's bodies are favored by products and draw attention so that women also sell unfair products (Grow et al., 2012).
A systematic study of Collins (2011) and the interim survey Barnes & Doston (1990) yielded the same results that women mainly represented as housewives, sexually objectified and making women more aware of their thinness and outlooks. No pores, long legs, good looks, and a perfect image of women is the charm of advertising creates the hopes of the audience and making them aesthetic.
If she cannot reach the standards, feels embarrassed. In the context of Pakistan, the portrayal of women has changed for several years. In fact, "new women" have always been seen in advertising, she is usually a heroine and she is able to do all the work at a workplace and at home as a woman with her own personality (Christy, 2008). Some studies show that women often being a perfect person, able to complete each task professionally and efficiently are her own concerns (Garcia & Yang, 2008).
A meta-analysis of female images shows that only 51% respondents agree that actual place of women is at home, while 46% believe that women are not involved in any productive or research work (Sommer, Aleman, Bouma, & Kahn, 2004). More than 75% of respondents believe that advertising does not show the true situation of women, women are considered sex products, it seems that more respondents in this study admit their pride to order purchase targets. Their findings show that women can only sell products (Sommer et al., 2004). They become the deliberations of the audience and reflecting as sex symbols which can also enhance the understanding of women's projection in the Pakistani media.
Excessive objectification of women encourages gender discrimination, effectually condensing women to objects, or attracting and gratifying spectators, especially men (Szymanski et al., 2011). People think that young girls and women internalize these symbolized observations, and then they learn to pay more attention to appreciable physical characteristics than to inappreciable characteristics such as knowledge, intelligence, influential and inner corporal condition. (Fredrickson and Roberts, 1997;Ullah and Khan 2011;Moradi & Huang, 2008). In the research paper of Rosewarne (2006), describe the themes of depicting women on Australian billboards and other outdoor displays, shows that women in current marketing are still depicted as young, pallid, tinny and slothful.
Many psychological studies have demonstrated a huge negative impact on sustained self-monitoring and self-objectification (McKinley & Hyde, 1996;Fredrickson et al., 1997;Gettman& Roberts, 2004;Tiggeman and Kuring, 2004). It can say that TV advertisements not only tells us an effective manner and attributes of the good but introduce an imperative means of power in the present society that contributes to the development of the new concept of individuality and Huston (1998) describes this is the reason why advertising and other trendy contents help to sustain learning patterns, cerebral characters, liberty and models of sensual relations, manners and opinions about the real world. Hence, women objectification are promoting capitalism at the expense of women's dignity and respect. This research is of great significance and persuasive because it examines female objectification in a socio-cultural context, in which women, her photographs and exposures are highly private matter.

Theoretical Background
The objectification theory of Frederickson and Roberts (1997) is applied for the theoretical core which is very relevant for understanding female objectification in contemporary television advertising in Pakistan. Fredrickson & Roberts (1997) theory of objectification gives a significant framework for understanding, evaluating and construing television advertising in the context of Pakistani culture and society. This objectification theory apparently emphasis that trends of advertisements in Pakistani Television manipulate the female gender by portraying her in sexually objectified manner and associate her value and traditional role with this objectification rather than reflect the actual spirit of our culture. The theory also asserts that self-objectification and universal objectification are increasing women's anxiety about their appearance and intensification women's physical shame, leading to eating disordered and sensual relationship dysfunction. Consequently, the objectification of women in Pakistani TV commercials indicates that mass media are enhancing the interest of using certain standards as the sole criteria for women's beauty and acceptance. It also uses female images as a label and marketing strategy which reinforces the mainstream ideology that women are respected because of their appearance rather than their intelligence and ability. On the basis of objectification theory, it is analyzed that content of mass media is a powerful tool to shape the perception and attitudes about girls and women and boys and men to accept the genderdiscriminatory culture constructed by society.

Methodology
The quantitative method used according to the requirements of the present study. Survey research method adopted to obtain data about female objectification in advertisements, and its influence on the minds of the audience and to validate the public views towards the female image in electronic media advertisements.

Location and Population of the Study
The universe of this study are the spectators of Karachi, Pakistan, and for this reason spectators selected from the various universities of Karachi such as:

Sampling Technique and Sample Size
Sampling is a representing unit of population or universe of the study. For this study, a sample of 200 electronic media spectators (100 males and 100 females) chose from ten different universities and educational institutes of Karachi by Convenience sampling technique of non-probability sampling. This sampling technique applied for easily accessible and availability of samples to meet the different constraints such as time and finances.

Data Analysis Method
A self-prepared questionnaire used as a tool for collecting data and data analyzed by using simple frequency method and direct responses.

Results and Discussions
This section describes analysis of data using various statistical techniques. The results are explained below: Data presented in Table 1 shows 63% male and 59% female respondents said yes about negative and unethical portray of women in television ads and other 37% males and 41% females response were negative, regarding the question. TV ads represent women in negative manners and depict as an eye candy in commercials for getting consumers' attention and they have been more striking by unreal processes.  Table 2 shows the perception of respondents regarding the negative image of women in advertising are committed to delivering the sexual gratification for men. 73% of females while 69% of males choose option yes and other 31% of Pakistani Electronic Media males and 27% of females response no. It proves that indecent portrayal of women in commercials shows the strength of patriarchal power in our society which only exploits women for sexual pleasures.  Table 3 shows the opinion about ads are the source of demoralizing our traditions and culture. According to data 79% of males and 75% of females of the survey ads are demoralizing the value of our culture and tradition, while 21% of male and 25% of female spectators are disagreed to this notion. After the analyzing of data, it is found that commercials are the source of demoralizing our traditions and cultural values because most of the ads are promoting foreign culture that's why young generation are going far away from their culture and traditions. It makes the cultural roots weaken as well. The collective view of the people demonstrates that television commercials are against cultural integrity. 82% of male and 79% of female respondents have the notion that visualization of ads are opposed to the cultural norms and only 21% of females and 18% of males are not in favour that television commercials are not against the cultural integrity. Results prove that the television ads are against the cultural and religious ideologies because it does not reflect culture but visualize women in objectifying manner.  Table 5 shows the opinions about the presence of female models who have been taken as a piece of decoration in the advertisig industry, i.e. 59% males and 63% females said female models employ to increase rating, 21% males and 17% females said people buy items for the sake of beauty, not for the quality, 12% males and 6% females said that using women in ads increases in the product sales and other 8% males and 14% females said women portrayal in advertisement is only for men's sexual pleasure. Presenting women for sale of merchandise to make the consumer's behaviour is the by product of male gaze and female's own perception.  Table 6 shows that 49% female said that people want to see women in ads due to patriarchal society while, 31% males said that according to the modern era Pakistani Electronic Media women have been judged positively and not to be treat as a sexual item, 30% males assumed that in the modern age the change has been occurred in between men and women so both are equally involve in every activity, while 21% of females said that in this era women have been judged positively and are not considered as a sexual item, 25% males thinks it is due to the patriarchal society that women are presented only in stereotypical and sexualized way, while 19% females argued that in the modern age the change has been occurred in between men and women and women are also projected highlighted with their abilities, other 14% males and 11% females think that there have been significant positive change in perceptions and thoughts for women in the society.

Conclusions
The overall claim of this study is television commercials strengthen and legitimize female body as eye candy, for both the female and male gaze. Advertising portrays women to ensure product marketing as well as increasing demand. The objectification of women in advertisements does not only reflect social reality but also creates certain versions of social integrity not based on reality. Advertisements in electronic media continue to prop up the use of female representatives as a sexual icon to execute a certain behavior. Feminists and pro-women activists have challenged such depiction of women. The typical ambiguous element of manipulation of females in media zeal is sensual detachment, but it evokes the division of objectivity. Results of the study found that majority of the respondents have the strong notion that women in Pakistani TVs mostly depict as embellishing items; women's body and body parts erotically displayed in adverts that inspire other women to mimic. The outcome of the study claimed that women's role in advertising does not reflect Pakistan's social and religious philosophy but just as a beautifying idol. They wear revealing clothes while males presented as decent and covered. Most respondents agreed that Pakistan's electronic media is depicting women in conflict with social and cultural ethics in advertising to promote their ratings, while advertisers prefer women only to promote the marketing growth of products. This finding also reinforces the view that women use as a fascinating and entertaining element and this view creates frustration among female viewers and reduces the respect of women in society.

Recommendations
1. It is recommended that advertisers do some research on the consumer's behaviour and local culture before advertising their product instead of following western or regional trends. 2. It is the responsibility of the government of Pakistan and PEMRA to control the content which is projected on electronic media in order to maintain the honour and sanctity of women.