Femvertising: women representations in Malaysia advertisements (2005-2025)

This study investigates the evolution of women in Malaysian advertising from 2005 to 2025, highlighting shifts in femvertising ideas. Although early advertisements predominantly depicted women as gentle, nurturing, and confined to domestic spheres, reflecting cultural and religious norms, over two decades a progressive transformation emerged as ads began to negotiate between conventional femininity and ideals of empowerment, culminating in recent campaigns that showcase women as autonomous and assertive agents challenging stereotypes. Using contextual analysis of twenty prominent advertisements from major Malaysian women’s brands, this research traces how developments in political, social, and digital media have shaped these depictions. This study positions femvertising as a cultural site where societal gender norms are both reflected and contested.