Women in Print Advertisement: 1950s and 60s in Pakistan

Abstract

This article examines the presence of women in Pakistani advertising print media, during the initial two decades of newly born state, Pakistan from 1950s and 1960s. Advertisement is one of the most important tools to shape country’s economy and to influence the mind-set of consumers buying behaviour. This research is based on archival research and advertising print mediums, it analyses how women were represented as consumers, models, and professionals in the emerging advertising industry of post-independence Pakistan. The study shows that, while women were primarily represented in household and beauty-related roles. These roles linked to traditional gender expectations of the society. The article argues that advertising during this era both reflected and shaped evolving conceptions of Pakistani womanhood during a critical period of nation-building.