ASIAN AND EUROPEAN FEMALE IMAGES IN DIGITAL MAGAZINE ADVERTISEMENTS: CONTENT ANALYSIS OF RAY LI AND VOGUE CHINA

Abstract

This study has analyzed contemporary changes in the ways Asian and European female models were portrayed in Chinese digital magazine advertisements in 2009 and 2019. Study had three objectives, and they were,to study the changes of model use and portrayal in Chinese magazine’s advertising,to study the differences in the roles the types of models play in two magazines and to study the differences in product representation the models are used for among the two magazines.Research questions of this study were what are the differences in the frequency, and types of Asian and European female model representation among the two selected magazines in selected two years?What are the differences in the roles the types of models play in two magazines in selected two years?Are there any differences in the extent of the female model’s facial gaze and level of sexual objectivity among the two magazines in selected years? And what are the differences in product representation the models are used for among the two magazines in selected years?The study found that Asian female models had the highest frequency rate than European female models; however European female models still had a high representations rate regardless. Asians females and European female models were represented in similar type categories of beauty types, model roles, gaze, sexuality level, and product type. The similarity of category types for the two model types seems to imply that Chinese magazine publishers have a well-established perception of effective advertising strategies for their target consumers.