Behind the screen

: the portrayal of American track and field female athletes in TV Sporting brand’s advertisements

Abstract

This dissertation analyses the portrayal of American track and field female athletes in TV sporting brands’ advertisements, as well as the perception the latter interpret when watching the commercials. Just a few months away from the beginning of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, it results in massive and numerous sporting brands’ communication campaigns soon to be broadcasted on TV. It is crucial to already understand where do the sporting brands stand in the fight for equal representation between female and male athletes, as well as in the battle for inclusive and diverse depiction of the sportswomen. Track and field in the USA was chosen to further study since it is the oldest practiced sport as well as one of the most popular and most watched sports of the Games, additionally to be one where major American Olympian excel in. Merging the academic data found along the research, personal knowledge and interviews shared with American track and field female athletes, this study confirms that sporting brands keep on displaying a misrepresentation of female athletes, until even objectifying them. This is a redundant societal issue reinforcing gender stereotypes and the underestimated image of women in sports and more precisely, American track and field female athletes. A controversial topic, as the status of women in all social aspects continues to evolve and improve until empowering them. However, gender equality and inclusive and diverse depiction of women in the sport industry has not been reached yet.

Date of Award	19 Jun 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Carla Ganito (Supervisor)