To code my data, I compiled three codesheets, all formatted to organize my quantitative and qualitative data. The first code sheet consists of the portrayal of POC in each advertisement. The second codesheet is a complete copy of the first, except that it organizes the portrayal of white people in each advertisement. The last codesheet organizes each advertisement’s data on a holistic scale. All codesheets are organized by the year that their advertisements aired during the Super Bowl (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).
POC and White People Codesheets
The first two code sheets organize quantitative data by type of character, clothing, type of words used, racialized terms used, and coded language. Type of character focuses on the characteristics of a portrayal. Some of these portrayals are as a friend, family member, worker (blue or white-collar), athlete, entertainer, and/or celebrity playing themself. Type of clothing focuses on the perceived value and/or sexualization of clothing. Types of words used organize whether a character used positive and/or negative words, while racialized terms used organizes terms often used when speaking about race, such as people of color, Black, justice, and police. Lastly, coded language tracks the use of Ebonic slang or accents.
Qualitative data in the first two code sheets are organized by emotions displayed, the relation of power to white people, portrayal, stereotyping, relationship with other POC, and activities. It is important to note that the categories listed above reflect the codesheet for analyzing POC and that the categories relation of power to white people and relationship with other POC are changed to relation of power to POC and relationship with other white people, respectively.
The emotions displayed category is organized by a list of the emotions that characters display in each advertisement. Relation of power to white people (or POC) organizes what the relationship of power can be interpreted as between white people and POC. Portrayal grants the space to describe the portrayal of a character in-depth. Stereotyping notes if any stereotypes related to POC or white people can be found in the characters. Relationship with other POC (or white people) organizes how POC interact with one another in the advertisement, and vice versa for white people. Lastly, the row activities organizes data based on what activities characters are performing in each advertisement.
Whole Advertisement Codesheet
On a quantitative scale, each advertisement was organized by its setting, narrative, tone, presence of a narrator, and images used. Setting organizes data based on where each advertisement took place, such as in the home or at work. Narrative accounts for the relationships seen in the advertisements, such as friend-based or family-based. Tone organizes whether the advertisement has a positive or negative tone. Presence of narrator organizes advertisements that use a narrator, and whether they appear onscreen or have an accent. Images used organizes whether police or a biracial couple were seen in the advertisement. On a qualitative scale, each advertisement was organized by its complexity, ‘what is the message?’, comfort between characters, and tension. Complexity codes for whether there is humor or sarcasm present that may be targeted towards a specific group or culture. ‘What is the message?’ allows for an in-depth description of the purpose of the advertisement. Comfort between characters draws out whether characters onscreen are comfortable with each other. Lastly, tension codes for whether there is apparent tension present in the advertisement.