Advertising to Generate Feminism: Towards a Methodological Proposal about ‘Femvertising’

Abstract

The communication strategy around advertising that has been dubbed ‘femvertising’ is being activated by a growing number of companies around the world. It consists in the elaboration of advertising that communicates the idea of equality between the sexes and a positive discourse for and about women. Yet, the inherent commercial quality of advertising places a veil of suspicion over the real intention of the brands, which can try and instrumentalize prestigious social movements for their own benefit. That is why the still scarce academic analyses about this phenomenon tend to focus on reflecting about the existence of a spurious feminism, as well as on the critique of consumption and the neoliberal model, leaving aside the formal features of an advertising formula that is increasingly relevant. Assuming the impossibility of diagnosing the real or self-interested commitment of a certain company, and accepting that consuming may also involve political engagement, this paper proposes a methodological framework to do research about ‘femvertising’ beyond the discussion around the brands’ honesty and the social responsibility of their messages.