Over the past 30 years there have been 15 television commercials in America that featured or cast a person with Down Syndrome (DS). Ads began in the 1980s with a McDonald’s commercial featuring worker Mike Sewell. Since 1982 there were no other television commercials with DS actors. However, in 2011 we started to see change. Over the last 5 years alone there have been 14 adverts with DS children.
Many studies have looked at disability representation in advertising using quantitative analysis. This study uses qualitative content analysis to look at how children with DS are represented. What themes are prevalent? Do these commercials send any messages about children with DS? Are children with DS featured or just as one of the “normal” kids? Are these representations forming a stereotype?
Preliminary findings show that these commercials create the stereotype I call the “Down Syndrome Ideal”. With stereotypes we usually see the worst in a type before representation gets better. However, this time we’re seeing the “best” in the type. Sixty percent of people with DS have a severe intellectual disability. Forty percent of DS people are mildly disabled. It is this 40% we see represented on screen as evidenced by the content of the commercials.
Another theme is normalcy. Commercials tend to promote positive attitudes to accept DS children as being normal, which is further discussed in the paper. That discussion will also look at the danger of this stereotype as most families may not have such an “ideal” child.
Implications include considering that DS is the most prevalent yet least funded disability. That’s the danger here, to present the condition as so positive, we ignore challenges and thus by implication, possibly the need for research.
About the presenterLorene Marie Wales
Dr. Wales has worked in independent film as a 1st Assistant Director, Unit Production Manager and Producer. She now teaches film at Liberty University. She still works in the industry, most recently as Executive Producer for “In-Lawfully Yours” (feature film co-production with Home Theater Films). She has also written two film textbooks, the most recent titled, “The Complete Guide to Film & Digital Production” published by Focal Press.