Introduction

The world attaches certain stereotypes to all societies. Asians are good at math and cannot drive, African Americans are good at basketball and like to fight, Americans are fat and racist, and Lebanese like to party and get plastic surgery. Whether they are emphasized through international media or social circles, the world has this conventional image of the Lebanese community. However, these stereotypes are slowly transforming into an accurate portrayal of Lebanese, instead of just a mere misrepresentation. Perhaps one of the reasons is because they are advertised and promoted in the Lebanese media itself. This project explores how Lebanese advertisements reemphasize two Lebanese stereotypes formed in international media; the Lebanese party animals and the Lebanese Barbies.  The paper will begin with a two-part literature analysis, first discussing the affects of advertisements on people, and second showing supporting evidence that these two conventional images are recognized and established by worldwide media. Then, it will critically analyze six advertisements in Lebanon that portray each stereotype. Finally, it will discuss effects the Lebanese media has caused on society by portraying it in a stereotypical way as well as give audiences media literacy tips that will help them become more critical when looking at ads.