Detailed Proposal

1) Topis area is advertising

2) The effects of the images of women in fashion advertisements for high street fashion brands on the female audience

3) Yes, teacher approval in principle

4) Print advertisements

5) The question of size zero and thin models is a hot debate in the press/media and the effects of the images of thin models on the female audience it is targetting. I also want to find out how women actually respond to the representation of women in fashion advertisements, and if they feel there is an idealised/unbalanced portrayal, looking at adverts using both thin and "real" models/women.

6) I will be looking at similar research into the effect of advertising on its targetted audience and if thin models create a negative effect of how women feel about their bodies.

7) Institutional context -

• the representation of women in fashion advertising and the effects on its female audience


• the theory that the use of thin, beautiful, young models in fashion advertisements creates a negative effect for its audience


• issues, such as the inbalance of "plus-size" or "real women" used in fashion adverts


• how does the female audience actually respond to fashion adverts and the effects on them

8) Audience context -

• Females aged between 14 - 50


• Focus groups in school


• Speaking to family and friends - questionairres/surveys
  

9) The key concepts -

• Audience - how they respond to fashion advertisements and the effects on them


• Institution - the high street brands


• Forms and Conventions - visual and textual codes in fashion advertisements


• Representation - the representation of women in fashion advertisements
  

10) Secondary research sources -

• Websites - Media Awareness
• Times Online
• Fashion Capital
• International Debate Education Association
• BNet Find Articles
• Daily Mail website

11) Primary research sources -

• Response from audience (focus groups, questionairres, surveys)
  
• My own textual analysis of fashion advertisements

12) My teacher has agreed on my focus

13) Not having a wide enough debate for my focus could be a limit - for example if the audience all respond the same to the adverts

14) None

15) Yes, teacher approval