Portrayals of Asian Americans in Magazine Advertisements, 1955-1975: The Impact of the 1965 Immigration Act in the USA
Daechun An

Abstract
From the cultural history perspective, this study examined the impact of the 1965 Immigration Act on the portrayals of Asian Americans in American magazine advertisements during the 1970s. A content analysis of 734 mainstream magazine ads revealed that the first reform of the U.S. immigration policy, which was initiated by the 1965 Immigration Act, appears to have influenced the portrayals of Asian Americans in the advertisements. First, Asian Americans appeared more frequently in the advertisements. Second, they were more frequently presented as playing a major role in the advertisements. Third, they were depicted more in business settings and as having business relationships with other characters within the advertisements than ever before. Fourth, positive stereotyping in the advertisements was apparent for Asian Americans. All these were attributable to the increase in the number of the Asian population and their elevated socioeconomic status after the Act.

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