Reconstructing Fairness: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Beauty Standards in Pakistani Social Media Advertisements

Abstract

The research intends to challenge assumptions regarding fairness in beauty standards in South Asian culture, notably in Pakistan, by exposing how social media platforms promote beauty norms and public views. The study investigates the portrayal of fairness in Pakistani social media advertising on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as the cultural norms portrayed in these advertisements. A qualitative research approach was adopted, employing purposive sampling to select advertisements from Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok that either explicitly or implicitly promote fairness as a beauty standard. The study analyzed advertisements from the period 2020–2024 to capture contemporary trends and cultural changes. The primary analytical framework for this research was Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA), introduced by Gunther Kress and Theo Van Leeuwen (1996). Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring themes, narratives, and cultural values reflected in the advertisements. The data suggested that social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok reinforce or redefine beauty standards, promoting inclusive advertising practices and challenging harmful stereotypes, influencing policymakers, advertisers, and content creators.