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This paper studies representations of gender in television commercials that advertise products like beer and cosmetics to the gender they are traditionally not associated with. More specifically the question is whether, as literature about advertising and gender suggests, such commercials do indeed break with traditional gender stereotypes. A qualitative content analysis of ten commercials of this type reveals that this is not the case. Precisely because they need to try and bring about recognition and positive appreciation among the new target group, these commercials rather reproduce traditional gender stereotypes. So just like in 'ordinary' commercials men are represented here, too, as confident, active and interested in functionality, and women as insecure, passive and interested in aesthetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]