All eyes on her

The relationship between advertising and society is undeniably bidirectional, since advertisements reflect prevailing societal norms and values, but can also influence and reform the cultural and social context. In recent years, sociopolitical developments in Greece have impacted the society and media content. In particular, during the Greek #MeToo movement in February 2021, women, who were at the forefront, addressed societal issues on gender-based violence and demanded change, through marching and employing both digital and traditional media. However, Greece's slow pace on societal and media transformations questions the true impact of the movement. Therefore, this study aims to explore how the advertising content was impacted by the Greek #MeToo movement, and especially to explore the representation of women in the Greek campaigns that were later produced. For this reason, a purposive sample of 100 video advertisements was assembled, which included productions from March 2021 until May 2025. The exploration of the sample was conducted through a qualitative content analysis, integrating Visual Semiotic and Critical Discourse analysis, for the interpretation of the visual and textual signs. These signs were then translated into patterns and themes, through the deductive and inductive approach of thematic analysis, that allowed the connection with past research but also the emergence of new themes. The emerged themes promoted female empowerment and agency, along with gender equality, through the portrayal of the multifaceted aspects of the modern independent woman. At the same time, the thematic analysis revealed the representation of women in stereotypical roles, as mothers and wives or in instances where their sexuality, youth and beauty were commodified. Nevertheless, the influence of the Greek #MeToo movement was most evident in depictions of female victimization, where women as survivors of gender-based and sexual abuse were used as means of educating, raising awareness and demanding change on gender discrimination.