Creativity Evaluation Of The Ads Awarded At The Crystal Apple İn The Field Of Gender Equality: A Semiotic Analysis

Abstract

In today's world, where sensitivity to social issues is increasing, gender equality is an important topic. It can be said that countries' societal norms and cultural industries have a significant influence in determining and internalizing gender roles. In this context, advertisements function as elements of cultural industries. Advertisements not only have the function of reflecting society but also sometimes assume the role of shaping it through the elements they present. Despite gender inequalities always being a topic of discussion, with the addition of the "Gender Equality in Advertising" category at the 2018 Crystal Apple Awards, this issue has become more visible and important for advertisers and agencies. The aim is for the advertising industry to take responsibility in this area and fulfill its duty to create more egalitarian advertisements. Therefore, competition has become important in encouraging the fulfillment of this responsibility. In this context, three TV commercials that received awards in the gender equality category at the Crystal Apple Awards from 2020 to 2022 were analyzed using Roland Barthes' semiotic model. The analyses revealed that confident, successful, and career-oriented women were highlighted in the advertisements. These female characters were defined with the "superwoman" narrative and became the central focus of the advertisements. Celebrity endorsements were also identified as an important factor that strengthened the creative understanding of the advertisements. The presence of celebrity endorsements and entrepreneurial women supported the perception of creativity in the advertisements. In all three commercials, creative coding was done with a focus on reality perception. The creative coding of the advertisements revolved around celebrity endorsements, emphasis on real life, and the "superwoman" image. As a suggestion, future studies in this area could aim to determine the perceptual, emotional, and behavioral effects of award-winning advertisements in this category on consumers.