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Until recently, women in advertisements wore one of three thingsan apron, a glamorous dress or a frown. Although that is now changing, many women still feel angry enough to deface offending advertisements with stickers protesting, This ad degrades women. Why does this sort of advertising exist? How can advertisers and ad agencies produce, sometimes, after months of research, advertising that offends the consumer? The Advertising Standards Authority is carrying out research into how women feel about the way they are portrayed in advertisements. Its conclusions are likely to be what the advertising industry already knows: although women often irritated by the way they are seen in ads, few feel strongly enough to complain. Women are not the only victims of poor and boring stereotypesin many TV commercials men are seen either as useless, childish oafs who are unable to perform the simplest household tasks, or as in considerate boors, permanently on the lookout for an escape to the pub. But it is women who seem to bear the brunt of the industrys apparent inability to put people into an authentic present-day context. Yet according to Emma Bennett, executive creative director of a London advertising agency, women are not infuriated by stereotypes and sexist advertising. It tends to wash over them, they are not militant or angrythey just find it annoying or tiresome. They reluctantly accept outdated stereotypes, but heave a sigh of relief when an advertisement really gets it right. | 
