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Le femvertising comme outil d'activisme de marque : une analyse du film Barbie

Year 2025, Issue: 43, 191 - 214, 25.12.2025

Nuray Yılmaz Sert , Tuba Çevik Ergin , Ebru Yılmaz , Semih Kopuz

Abstract

Le femvertising est une approche publicitaire qui s’inscrit dans le cadre de l’activisme de marque et qui intègre des perspectives féministes dans les processus marketing. Ces stratégies mettent en avant non seulement des enjeux sociaux tels que l’égalité des sexes et les droits des femmes, mais elles s’articulent également avec les objectifs commerciaux des marques. L’objectif de cette étude est d’examiner la manière dont les stratégies publicitaires féministes, connues sous le nom de « femvertising », sont intégrées dans le film Barbie dans une logique d’activisme de marque, et de les analyser à la lumière de la littérature existante. Le nombre limité de recherches sur la représentation du femvertising dans les récits cinématographiques confère à cette étude une contribution pertinente à la littérature. Les résultats montrent que le femvertising n’est pas seulement un outil marketing, mais aussi une stratégie puissante capable de mettre les questions sociales à l’agenda et de favoriser un potentiel changement, tout en soulignant la nécessité d’évaluations critiques. Pour cette recherche, une analyse descriptive – l’une des méthodes de recherche qualitative – a été mobilisée, et les données recueillies ont été interprétées selon des thèmes prédéfinis.

References

  • Ahmad, F., Guzmán, F., & Al-Emran, M. (2024). Brand activism and the consequence of woke washing. Journal of Business Research, 170, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114362.
  • Arat, N. (2022). The ABCs of feminism. Say Publications.
  • Berktay, F. (2013). Advances in feminist theory. In Y. Ecevit & N. Karkıner (Eds.), Gender Studies. Anatolia University Press.
  • Beauvoir, S. de. (1956). The second sex (H. M. Parshley, Trans., second edition). Vintage Books.
  • Brough, H. J. (2001). Activist advertising: Case studies of United Colors of Benetton’s AIDS-related company promotion. [Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College]. https://doi.org/10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.238.
  • Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. Routledge.
  • Cammarota, A., D’Arco, M., Marino, V., & Resciniti, R. (2023). Brand activism: A literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 47(5), 1669–1691. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12967.
  • Cihangiroğlu, E. (2018). Women’s representations in advertising in terms of gender and the concept of femvertising, Discussion Papers of the Institute of Foreign Trade, Istanbul Trade University.
  • Donovan, J. (2014). Feminist theory: The intellectual traditions of American feminism (8th ed., Y. Eke, Trans.). İletişim Yayınları.
  • Douglas, S. J. (2010). Enlightened sexism: The seductive message that feminism’s work is done. Times Books.
  • Drake, W. E. (2017). The Impact of female empowerment in advertising (Femvertising). Journal of Research in Marketing, 7(3), 593–599.
  • Eyada, B. (2020). Brand Activism, the relation and impact on consumer perception: A case study on Nike advertising. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 12(4), 30-42. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijms.v12n4p30.
  • Feng, Y., Chen, H., & He, L. (2019). Consumer responses to femvertising: A data-mining case of Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” on YouTube. Journal of Advertising, 48(3), 292–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2019.1602858.
  • Geantă, M. A., & Zabad, D. V. (2018). The Feminist movement in marketing. Annals of the University of Craiova- Economic Sciences Series, 1(46), 135–145.
  • Gerwig, G. (2023). Barbie [Film].
  • Güven, G. Ö. (2020). Evaluation of feminist advertisements (Femvertising) in the context of Aristotle’s three rhetorical proofs and their impact on female viewers. [Master’s Degree]. Istanbul Ticaret University.
  • Harding, S. (1981). What is the real material base of patriarchy and capital? In L. Sargent (Ed.), Women and revolution: A discussion of the unhappy marriage of Marxism and feminism (pp. 135–163). Montréal: Black Rose Books.
  • Hsu, C. K. J. (2018). Femvertising: State of the art. Journal of Brand Strategy, 7(1), 28–47.
  • Iqbal, N. (2015, October 12). Femvertising: How Brands Are Selling #Empowerment to Women. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/12/femvertisingbranded-feminism.
  • Jalakas, D. (2016). The Ambivalence of # Femvertising: Exploring the meeting between feminism and advertising through the audience lens. [Master’s Degree]. Lund University.
  • Lacan, J. (1977). The four fundamental concepts of psycho-analysis (J.-A. Miller, Ed., A. Sheridan, Trans.). Norton.
  • Leonard, S. (2007). “I hate my job, I hate everybody here”: Adultery, boredom, and the “working girl” in twenty-first-century American cinema. In Y. Tasker & D. Negra (Eds.), Interrogating postfeminism: Gender and the politics of popular culture (pp. 100–131). Duke University Press.
  • Lindemann, B. (2023). The first wave of feminism: A movement created by and for Americans. Journal of Student Research, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v12i4.5637.
  • Little, E. (2025). Understanding (post)feminist girlhood through young adult fantasy literature. Routledge.
  • Love, M. A., & Helmbrecht, B. M. (2007). Teaching the conflicts: (Re)Engaging students with feminism in a postfeminist world. Journal of Feminist Teacher, 18(1), 41–58. https://doi.org/10.1353/ftr.2008.0008.
  • Maclaran, P. (2015). Feminism’s fourth wave: A research agenda for marketing and consumer research. Journal of Marketing Management, 31(15–16), 1732–1738. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2015.1076497
  • Manfredi Sánchez, J.L. (2019). Brand activism. Communication & Society, 32(4), 343-359. https://doi.org/10.15581/003.32.37294.
  • Martinez-Fierro, M. L.; Garza-Veloz, I. (2022). “Purplewashing and gender parity: Break the bias”. Preprints, https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202203.0134.v1.
  • McRobbie, A. (2009). The aftermath of feminism: Gender, culture and social change. SAGE Publications.
  • Michaelidou, N., Siamagka, N. T., Hatzithomas, L., & Chaput, L. (2022). Femvertising practices on social media: A comparison of luxury and non-luxury brands. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 31(8), 1285–1300. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2020-3074.
  • Michel, A. (1984). Feminism. Women’s Circle Publications.
  • Miguel, A., & Miranda, S. (2023). Brand activism effectiveness: The predictors and potential effects of brand activist actions. Media & Jornalismo, 23(42), 147–164. https://doi.org/10.14195/2183-5462_42_8.
  • Mrabet, I. (2024). Barbie beyond pink: Intersections of brand activism, femvertising and purple-washing in contemporary film marketing (Master’s thesis, Universidad de Valladolid, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras). Universidad de Valladolid Institutional Repository. https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/72694.
  • Mukherjee, S., & Althuizen, N. (2020 Brand activism: Does courting controversy help or hurt a brand? International Journal of Research in Marketing, 37(4), 772–788.
  • Mutlu, E. (2004). Dictionary of communication. Science and Art Publications.
  • Pelaez, S. (2024). ‘Purple washing’ in feminist foreign policy of Chile. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390628322_Purple_washing_in_Feminist_Foreign_Policy_of_Chile.
  • Raina, J. A. (2017). Feminism: An overview. International Journal of Research, 4(13), 1–6.
  • Rampton, M. (2015). Four waves of feminism. Pacific University Oregon. https://www.pacificu.edu/magazine/four-waves-feminism.
  • Sarkar, C. & Kotler, P. (2020). Brand activism: From purpose to action. Idea Bite Press.
  • Sevim, A. (2005). Feminizm. İnsan Yayınları.
  • Shivakanth Shetty, A., Belavadi Venkataramaiah, N., & Anand, K. (2019). Brand activism and millennials: An empirical investigation into the perception of millennials towards brand activism. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 17(4), 163–175. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.17(4).2019.14.
  • Schreiber, M. (2014). American postfeminist cinema: Women, romance and contemporary culture. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
  • Sterbenk, Y., Champlin, S., Windels, K., & Shelton, S. (2022). Is femvertising the new greenwashing? Examining corporate commitment to gender equality. Journal of Business Ethics, 177(3), 491–505. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04755-x
  • Taş, G. (2016). A general assessment of feminism: Conceptual analysis, historical processes, and transformations. Journal of Academic Sensitivities, 3(5), 163–175.
  • Thesander, M. (1997). The Feminine Ideal. Reaktion Books.
  • Vredenburg, J., Kapitan, S., Spry, A., & Kemper, J. A. (2020). Brands taking a stand: Authentic brand activism or woke washing? Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 39(4), 444–460. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743915620947359.
  • Wolf, N. (1991). The beauty myth: How images of beauty are used against women. Harper Perennial.
  • Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2016). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences. Seçkin Publications.
  • Zeisler, A. (2016). We were feminists once: From riot grrrl to coverGirl, the buying and selling of a political movement. Hachette UK.

Bir Marka Aktivizmi Aracı Olarak Femvertising: Barbie Filmi Üzerine Bir Analiz

Year 2025, Issue: 43, 191 - 214, 25.12.2025

Nuray Yılmaz Sert , Tuba Çevik Ergin , Ebru Yılmaz , Semih Kopuz

Abstract

Femvertising, marka aktivizmi bağlamında konumlanan ve feminizmi pazarlama süreçlerine entegre eden bir reklamcılık yaklaşımıdır. Bu tür stratejiler, toplumsal cinsiyet eşitliği ve kadın hakları gibi sosyal meseleleri gündeme taşırken, aynı zamanda markaların ticari kaygılarıyla da kesişmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, femvertising olarak bilinen feminist reklamcılık stratejilerinin marka aktivizmi çerçevesinde uygulamasını Barbie filmi üzerinden inceleyerek literatürdeki bilgiler ışığında analiz etmektir. Femvertising’in sinema anlatılarındaki temsiline dair çalışmaların sınırlılığı, bu araştırmayı özgün kılmakta ve bu bağlamda literatüre katkı sağlamaktadır. Araştırma, femvertisingin yalnızca bir pazarlama aracı olmanın ötesinde, toplumsal meseleleri gündeme getiren ve bu konularda değişim yaratma potansiyeline sahip güçlü bir strateji olduğunu ortaya koymakta ancak eleştirel değerlendirmelere de ihtiyaç duyulduğunun altını çizmektedir. Araştırmada nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden betimsel analiz kullanılmış, elde edilen veriler önceden belirlenen temalara göre yorumlanmıştır.

Keywords

Reklam Aktivizm Marka aktivizmi Femvertising Barbie

References

  • Ahmad, F., Guzmán, F., & Al-Emran, M. (2024). Brand activism and the consequence of woke washing. Journal of Business Research, 170, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114362.
  • Arat, N. (2022). The ABCs of feminism. Say Publications.
  • Berktay, F. (2013). Advances in feminist theory. In Y. Ecevit & N. Karkıner (Eds.), Gender Studies. Anatolia University Press.
  • Beauvoir, S. de. (1956). The second sex (H. M. Parshley, Trans., second edition). Vintage Books.
  • Brough, H. J. (2001). Activist advertising: Case studies of United Colors of Benetton’s AIDS-related company promotion. [Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College]. https://doi.org/10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.238.
  • Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. Routledge.
  • Cammarota, A., D’Arco, M., Marino, V., & Resciniti, R. (2023). Brand activism: A literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 47(5), 1669–1691. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12967.
  • Cihangiroğlu, E. (2018). Women’s representations in advertising in terms of gender and the concept of femvertising, Discussion Papers of the Institute of Foreign Trade, Istanbul Trade University.
  • Donovan, J. (2014). Feminist theory: The intellectual traditions of American feminism (8th ed., Y. Eke, Trans.). İletişim Yayınları.
  • Douglas, S. J. (2010). Enlightened sexism: The seductive message that feminism’s work is done. Times Books.
  • Drake, W. E. (2017). The Impact of female empowerment in advertising (Femvertising). Journal of Research in Marketing, 7(3), 593–599.
  • Eyada, B. (2020). Brand Activism, the relation and impact on consumer perception: A case study on Nike advertising. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 12(4), 30-42. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijms.v12n4p30.
  • Feng, Y., Chen, H., & He, L. (2019). Consumer responses to femvertising: A data-mining case of Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” on YouTube. Journal of Advertising, 48(3), 292–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2019.1602858.
  • Geantă, M. A., & Zabad, D. V. (2018). The Feminist movement in marketing. Annals of the University of Craiova- Economic Sciences Series, 1(46), 135–145.
  • Gerwig, G. (2023). Barbie [Film].
  • Güven, G. Ö. (2020). Evaluation of feminist advertisements (Femvertising) in the context of Aristotle’s three rhetorical proofs and their impact on female viewers. [Master’s Degree]. Istanbul Ticaret University.
  • Harding, S. (1981). What is the real material base of patriarchy and capital? In L. Sargent (Ed.), Women and revolution: A discussion of the unhappy marriage of Marxism and feminism (pp. 135–163). Montréal: Black Rose Books.
  • Hsu, C. K. J. (2018). Femvertising: State of the art. Journal of Brand Strategy, 7(1), 28–47.
  • Iqbal, N. (2015, October 12). Femvertising: How Brands Are Selling #Empowerment to Women. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/12/femvertisingbranded-feminism.
  • Jalakas, D. (2016). The Ambivalence of # Femvertising: Exploring the meeting between feminism and advertising through the audience lens. [Master’s Degree]. Lund University.
  • Lacan, J. (1977). The four fundamental concepts of psycho-analysis (J.-A. Miller, Ed., A. Sheridan, Trans.). Norton.
  • Leonard, S. (2007). “I hate my job, I hate everybody here”: Adultery, boredom, and the “working girl” in twenty-first-century American cinema. In Y. Tasker & D. Negra (Eds.), Interrogating postfeminism: Gender and the politics of popular culture (pp. 100–131). Duke University Press.
  • Lindemann, B. (2023). The first wave of feminism: A movement created by and for Americans. Journal of Student Research, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v12i4.5637.
  • Little, E. (2025). Understanding (post)feminist girlhood through young adult fantasy literature. Routledge.
  • Love, M. A., & Helmbrecht, B. M. (2007). Teaching the conflicts: (Re)Engaging students with feminism in a postfeminist world. Journal of Feminist Teacher, 18(1), 41–58. https://doi.org/10.1353/ftr.2008.0008.
  • Maclaran, P. (2015). Feminism’s fourth wave: A research agenda for marketing and consumer research. Journal of Marketing Management, 31(15–16), 1732–1738. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2015.1076497
  • Manfredi Sánchez, J.L. (2019). Brand activism. Communication & Society, 32(4), 343-359. https://doi.org/10.15581/003.32.37294.
  • Martinez-Fierro, M. L.; Garza-Veloz, I. (2022). “Purplewashing and gender parity: Break the bias”. Preprints, https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202203.0134.v1.
  • McRobbie, A. (2009). The aftermath of feminism: Gender, culture and social change. SAGE Publications.
  • Michaelidou, N., Siamagka, N. T., Hatzithomas, L., & Chaput, L. (2022). Femvertising practices on social media: A comparison of luxury and non-luxury brands. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 31(8), 1285–1300. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2020-3074.
  • Michel, A. (1984). Feminism. Women’s Circle Publications.
  • Miguel, A., & Miranda, S. (2023). Brand activism effectiveness: The predictors and potential effects of brand activist actions. Media & Jornalismo, 23(42), 147–164. https://doi.org/10.14195/2183-5462_42_8.
  • Mrabet, I. (2024). Barbie beyond pink: Intersections of brand activism, femvertising and purple-washing in contemporary film marketing (Master’s thesis, Universidad de Valladolid, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras). Universidad de Valladolid Institutional Repository. https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/72694.
  • Mukherjee, S., & Althuizen, N. (2020 Brand activism: Does courting controversy help or hurt a brand? International Journal of Research in Marketing, 37(4), 772–788.
  • Mutlu, E. (2004). Dictionary of communication. Science and Art Publications.
  • Pelaez, S. (2024). ‘Purple washing’ in feminist foreign policy of Chile. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/390628322_Purple_washing_in_Feminist_Foreign_Policy_of_Chile.
  • Raina, J. A. (2017). Feminism: An overview. International Journal of Research, 4(13), 1–6.
  • Rampton, M. (2015). Four waves of feminism. Pacific University Oregon. https://www.pacificu.edu/magazine/four-waves-feminism.
  • Sarkar, C. & Kotler, P. (2020). Brand activism: From purpose to action. Idea Bite Press.
  • Sevim, A. (2005). Feminizm. İnsan Yayınları.
  • Shivakanth Shetty, A., Belavadi Venkataramaiah, N., & Anand, K. (2019). Brand activism and millennials: An empirical investigation into the perception of millennials towards brand activism. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 17(4), 163–175. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.17(4).2019.14.
  • Schreiber, M. (2014). American postfeminist cinema: Women, romance and contemporary culture. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
  • Sterbenk, Y., Champlin, S., Windels, K., & Shelton, S. (2022). Is femvertising the new greenwashing? Examining corporate commitment to gender equality. Journal of Business Ethics, 177(3), 491–505. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04755-x
  • Taş, G. (2016). A general assessment of feminism: Conceptual analysis, historical processes, and transformations. Journal of Academic Sensitivities, 3(5), 163–175.
  • Thesander, M. (1997). The Feminine Ideal. Reaktion Books.
  • Vredenburg, J., Kapitan, S., Spry, A., & Kemper, J. A. (2020). Brands taking a stand: Authentic brand activism or woke washing? Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 39(4), 444–460. https://doi.org/10.1177/0743915620947359.
  • Wolf, N. (1991). The beauty myth: How images of beauty are used against women. Harper Perennial.
  • Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2016). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences. Seçkin Publications.
  • Zeisler, A. (2016). We were feminists once: From riot grrrl to coverGirl, the buying and selling of a political movement. Hachette UK.

Femvertising as a Brand Activism Tool: An Analysis of the Film Barbie

Year 2025, Issue: 43, 191 - 214, 25.12.2025

Nuray Yılmaz Sert , Tuba Çevik Ergin , Ebru Yılmaz , Semih Kopuz

Abstract

Femvertising is an advertising approach positioned within the context of brand activism and one that integrates feminism into marketing processes. Such strategies not only bring social issues such as gender equality and women’s rights to the forefront but also intersect with the commercial concerns of brands. The aim of this study is to examine how feminist advertising strategies, known as femvertising, are integrated into the film Barbie within the framework of brand activism and to analyze them considering the existing literature. The limited number of studies on the representation of femvertising in cinematic narratives makes this research significant and contributes to the literature in this context. The study demonstrates that femvertising is not merely a marketing tool but a powerful strategy that brings social issues onto the agenda and has the potential to foster change in these areas, while also underlining the need for critical evaluations. In the research, descriptive analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was employed, and the data obtained were interpreted according to predetermined themes.

Keywords

Advertising Activism Brand activism Femvertising Barbie

Ethical Statement

This research did not require approval from an ethics committee, as it did not involve human participants or sensitive data.

Supporting Institution

This study received no financial support from any institution, organization, or funding agency.

Thanks

There are no individuals or institutions to acknowledge in relation to this research.

References

  • Ahmad, F., Guzmán, F., & Al-Emran, M. (2024). Brand activism and the consequence of woke washing. Journal of Business Research, 170, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114362.
  • Arat, N. (2022). The ABCs of feminism. Say Publications.
  • Berktay, F. (2013). Advances in feminist theory. In Y. Ecevit & N. Karkıner (Eds.), Gender Studies. Anatolia University Press.
  • Beauvoir, S. de. (1956). The second sex (H. M. Parshley, Trans., second edition). Vintage Books.
  • Brough, H. J. (2001). Activist advertising: Case studies of United Colors of Benetton’s AIDS-related company promotion. [Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College]. https://doi.org/10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.238.
  • Butler, J. (1990). Gender trouble: Feminism and the subversion of identity. Routledge.
  • Cammarota, A., D’Arco, M., Marino, V., & Resciniti, R. (2023). Brand activism: A literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 47(5), 1669–1691. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12967.
  • Cihangiroğlu, E. (2018). Women’s representations in advertising in terms of gender and the concept of femvertising, Discussion Papers of the Institute of Foreign Trade, Istanbul Trade University.
  • Donovan, J. (2014). Feminist theory: The intellectual traditions of American feminism (8th ed., Y. Eke, Trans.). İletişim Yayınları.
  • Douglas, S. J. (2010). Enlightened sexism: The seductive message that feminism’s work is done. Times Books.
  • Drake, W. E. (2017). The Impact of female empowerment in advertising (Femvertising). Journal of Research in Marketing, 7(3), 593–599.
  • Eyada, B. (2020). Brand Activism, the relation and impact on consumer perception: A case study on Nike advertising. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 12(4), 30-42. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijms.v12n4p30.
  • Feng, Y., Chen, H., & He, L. (2019). Consumer responses to femvertising: A data-mining case of Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty” on YouTube. Journal of Advertising, 48(3), 292–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2019.1602858.
  • Geantă, M. A., & Zabad, D. V. (2018). The Feminist movement in marketing. Annals of the University of Craiova- Economic Sciences Series, 1(46), 135–145.
  • Gerwig, G. (2023). Barbie [Film].
  • Güven, G. Ö. (2020). Evaluation of feminist advertisements (Femvertising) in the context of Aristotle’s three rhetorical proofs and their impact on female viewers. [Master’s Degree]. Istanbul Ticaret University.
  • Harding, S. (1981). What is the real material base of patriarchy and capital? In L. Sargent (Ed.), Women and revolution: A discussion of the unhappy marriage of Marxism and feminism (pp. 135–163). Montréal: Black Rose Books.
  • Hsu, C. K. J. (2018). Femvertising: State of the art. Journal of Brand Strategy, 7(1), 28–47.
  • Iqbal, N. (2015, October 12). Femvertising: How Brands Are Selling #Empowerment to Women. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/12/femvertisingbranded-feminism.
  • Jalakas, D. (2016). The Ambivalence of # Femvertising: Exploring the meeting between feminism and advertising through the audience lens. [Master’s Degree]. Lund University.
  • Lacan, J. (1977). The four fundamental concepts of psycho-analysis (J.-A. Miller, Ed., A. Sheridan, Trans.). Norton.
  • Leonard, S. (2007). “I hate my job, I hate everybody here”: Adultery, boredom, and the “working girl” in twenty-first-century American cinema. In Y. Tasker & D. Negra (Eds.), Interrogating postfeminism: Gender and the politics of popular culture (pp. 100–131). Duke University Press.
  • Lindemann, B. (2023). The first wave of feminism: A movement created by and for Americans. Journal of Student Research, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v12i4.5637.
  • Little, E. (2025). Understanding (post)feminist girlhood through young adult fantasy literature. Routledge.
  • Love, M. A., & Helmbrecht, B. M. (2007). Teaching the conflicts: (Re)Engaging students with feminism in a postfeminist world. Journal of Feminist Teacher, 18(1), 41–58. https://doi.org/10.1353/ftr.2008.0008.
  • Maclaran, P. (2015). Feminism’s fourth wave: A research agenda for marketing and consumer research. Journal of Marketing Management, 31(15–16), 1732–1738. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2015.1076497
  • Manfredi Sánchez, J.L. (2019). Brand activism. Communication & Society, 32(4), 343-359. https://doi.org/10.15581/003.32.37294.
  • Martinez-Fierro, M. L.; Garza-Veloz, I. (2022). “Purplewashing and gender parity: Break the bias”. Preprints, https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202203.0134.v1.
  • McRobbie, A. (2009). The aftermath of feminism: Gender, culture and social change. SAGE Publications.
  • Michaelidou, N., Siamagka, N. T., Hatzithomas, L., & Chaput, L. (2022). Femvertising practices on social media: A comparison of luxury and non-luxury brands. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 31(8), 1285–1300. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-09-2020-3074.
  • Michel, A. (1984). Feminism. Women’s Circle Publications.
  • Miguel, A., & Miranda, S. (2023). Brand activism effectiveness: The predictors and potential effects of brand activist actions. Media & Jornalismo, 23(42), 147–164. https://doi.org/10.14195/2183-5462_42_8.
  • Mrabet, I. (2024). Barbie beyond pink: Intersections of brand activism, femvertising and purple-washing in contemporary film marketing (Master’s thesis, Universidad de Valladolid, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras). Universidad de Valladolid Institutional Repository. https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/72694.
  • Mukherjee, S., & Althuizen, N. (2020 Brand activism: Does courting controversy help or hurt a brand? International Journal of Research in Marketing, 37(4), 772–788.
  • Mutlu, E. (2004). Dictionary of communication. Science and Art Publications.
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There are 49 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Communication Studies
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Nuray Yılmaz Sert 0000-0002-5329-5469

Tuba Çevik Ergin 0000-0002-4632-7987

Ebru Yılmaz 0000-0002-7243-7928

Semih Kopuz 0000-0002-4655-8566

Submission Date April 3, 2025
Acceptance Date December 12, 2025
Publication Date December 25, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Issue: 43

Cite

APA Yılmaz Sert, N., Çevik Ergin, T., Yılmaz, E., Kopuz, S. (2025). Femvertising as a Brand Activism Tool: An Analysis of the Film Barbie. Galatasaray Üniversitesi İletişim Dergisi(43), 191-214. https://doi.org/10.16878/gsuilet.1669356

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