[1] Henneberger, I. (2018) Die weibliche Stimme in der deutschen Werbung – Zur Entwicklung des weiblichen Stereotyps anhand phonetischer Parameter. (Bachelorarbeit, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena).
[2] Henneberger, I. (2021) Stereotype Werbestimmen – Untersuchung von geschlechterspezifischen Stimm- und Sprechtypen in der deutschen Primetime-Werbung anhand phonetischer Parameter. (Masterarbeit, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg).
[3] Matthes, J., Prieler, M., Adam, K. (2016). Gender Role Portrayals in Television Advertising Across the Globe. Sex Roles 75(7), 314-327.
[4] Paek, H., Nelson, M. & Vilela, A. (2011). Examination of Gender-Role Portrayals in Television Advertising across Seven Countries. Sex Roles 64, 192-207.

Changing gender roles in advertising have been extensively researched in communication studies (e.g. Matthes et al. 2016, Peak et al. 2011). The present research project aims to expand the state of research regarding phonetic changes that have accompanied these changes in gender roles.
Henneberger (2018, 2021) used analyses of German television commercials to show that gender representation is based on specific phonetic patterns. In a comparison of female voices in advertisements from the 50s and 60s with contemporary commercials, Henneberger (2018) found a significant decrease in the mean fundamental frequency. This phonetic finding reflects changes in female role models over the same period.
Henneberger (2021) found that there is still a clear dominance of male advertising voices even in present-day advertising. With the help of a cluster analysis, various gender-specific vocal groupings were identified in the corpus, which were then considered in relation to the products being advertised. For example, a cluster of female voices was characterized by higher mean fundamental frequency and fundamental frequency variation and also by stronger evidence of breathy voice quality. These voices were found exclusively in advertising contexts traditionally associated with women, e.g., cosmetics and food. One male cluster, on the other hand, had a low fundamental frequency and exhibited a more breathy and hoarse voice quality and was more widely distributed in traditional male or neutral contexts, e.g. cars and insurance.
In order to systematically analyse phonetic aspects of gender stereotypes in advertising, a corpus of radio advertising is being collected. Despite the advance of streaming services, radio as a medium still has a high status in the German media landscape. A further advantage of radio advertising is the high degree of ecological validity, in that the collected samples have been exposed to a natural, albeit heterogenous, audience.
To create the corpus, radio advertising is currently being recorded during the morning shows of four different radio channels in Germany. Two stations broadcast in Berlin (urban area) and two broadcast in central eastern Germany (provincial area). In each region one station is aimed at a younger audience (average 39 years), the other at an older audience (average 51 years).
A range of acoustic parameters will be analysed reflecting different aspects of voice and articulation. Central content features that will be examined include the product category and the target group of the advertised product. Acoustic parameters include fundamental frequency (F0), fundamental frequency variation, vowel formants (F1, F2), vowel space, voice quality parameters (intensity, HNR, Jitter/Shimmer etc.) together with auditory expert judgments of voice quality.
A cluster analysis will be used to determine whether different phonetic characteristics can be combined into voice types and, if so, whether there are connections between the identified voice types and the product categories that reflect stereotypical gender constructions. Moreover, the urbanity of the radio station and the age of the audience are included as potential interacting factors.