Gisler Protocol analysis 2025: No return to the role models of the 1950s

The Gisler Protocol has presented its annual stereotype analysis for the year 2025. The study focused on the question of whether a so-called "woke backlash" is making itself felt in the Swiss advertising landscape and whether the industry may have returned to the traditional role models of the 1950s.

The answer is clear: "In 2025, 87% of the commercials analyzed were free of gender stereotypes - one percentage point more than in the previous year. So there was (still) no sign of a backlash in Swiss advertising," says Nina Bieli, co-initiator and association president of the Gisler Protocol.

Men take care, women explain the world

As in previous years, the most popular role models remained the "funny guy" and the "caregiver". However, there was a notable shift when it came to caring: In 17 commercials, men took on tasks relating to the household, children or relatives - overtaking the 10 women who were seen in caring roles. The opposite is true for explanatory roles: As many as 21 female experts took on explaining in 2025 - an area that has long been considered male-dominated. Only two men were allowed to do the same in the commercials analyzed.

Nevertheless, some clichés persist: "We still hardly see any women in humorous roles and hardly any men who enjoy something, for example chocolate," says Bieli. Some bastions of traditional gender images are obviously more persistent than others.

Small progress, big gaps

In 2025, the Gisler Protocol also examined Swiss moving image advertisements not only for gender stereotypes, but also for a broad spectrum of diversity dimensions - both quantitative and qualitative.

Sexual identity and orientation

Three times a person appeared who did not visually correspond to gender-binary ideas - in each case as part of a large cast that showed various everyday situations, never in a leading role. Compared to the previous year (two spots, one leading role), hardly anything has changed.

Statistical classification:
According to a study by the survey institute Ipsos, 6 % of the Swiss population identify as transgender, non-binary, gender-fluid or other than male or female. With three commercials (corresponding to 0.9 % of the analyzed commercials), there is no adequate representation of genderqueer people in Swiss advertising.

Six homosexual couple situations were shown. None of the spots were thematically about homosexuality. Instead, the couples were part of a broad cast that depicted everyday situations. Heterosexual couple situations were shown 59 times.

Statistical classification:
It can be assumed that 3-10 % of the population are not heterosexual. Exact figures are not available for Switzerland or globally. Looking at the total number of couples shown (65), the six homosexual couples shown correspond to around 9 % - which can be considered representative.

Origin

Non-white people appeared in 26 % of the spots analyzed (previous year: 17 %).

Some of these people were seen in leading roles. Unlike in previous years, the focus was rarely on development aid or celebrities, but on everyday topics such as looking for an apartment, mobile subscriptions or weekly shopping.

Statistical classification:
There are no reliable figures on the proportion of BIPOC people in Switzerland. What is known, however, is that 41 % of the population have a migration background. The representation of non-white people has improved both quantitatively and qualitatively. Nevertheless, there are still examples that consciously or unconsciously reproduce racialized stereotypes.

Physical and mental abilities

People with visible disabilities only appeared in very few commercials, some of which were directly related to the topic.

Statistical classification:
22 % of the Swiss population live with a disability. It is unclear how many of them have a visible disability. Nevertheless, it is clear that people with disabilities are hardly considered in advertising - neither as protagonists nor as recipients.

Age

People of an older age (over 70) appeared in around 14 % of the commercials - roughly the same level as the previous year. Some of them took on leading roles.

They were portrayed in different contexts and mostly staged as interested in life, humorous and technically adept.

Statistical classification:
In Switzerland, people over 65 make up 19.3 % of the population. The quantitative representation of older people in advertising is therefore basically given.