Olga-Anca BAR Abstract: The following article aims at discussing the relationship between gender role portrayals in the Romanian printed advertising industry belonging to the communist period (1965-1989). By closely analysing the visual images of male and female representations depicted in the chosen advertisements, the focus was placed on determining whether or not communist advertising promoted a so-called pattern of symbolic and institutionalised stereotypes based on a discursive social semiotic approach, which has currently become a widely spread marketing strategy in almost every part of the civilised world. Keywords: male, female, advertising industry, visual images, communist, Romanian, social semiotic approach |