Transformations in female representations in beer advertisements: a Strategic Actions Fields perspective

Abstract

This article assesses the influence of criticisms of female representations in advertising practices in the brewing industry in Brazil between 2012 and 2017 from the perspective of Strategic Action Fields. Unlike existing analyses, the object of the study was conceived as a set of interconnected fields and the role of governance units in the dynamics of social change was emphasized. An analysis of the content of 213 advertisements for the country's largest beer brands, 99 lawsuits filed against the brewing industry in the National Advertising Self-Regulation Council (CONAR) and media reports was carried out. The results indicate that the loss of symbolic effectiveness of sexist advertising practices was driven by episodes of conflict that had wide media repercussions and affected the dominant companies in the brewing industry. These factors made it possible for criticism to circumvent the conservative performance of CONAR, the established governance unit in the fields of advertising in Brazil.