The 1990s

This decade saw the rise of Gen Y, a generation of youth more confident than its predecessor, the Gen X’ers. Advertising targeted Gen Y with magazines and stores catering to their tastes. They used surveys and analyses to uncover what appealed to this new breed. These years also saw our population grow in diversity. Adrienne Clarkson, whose family fled China, was our Governor General. Then in 1992 the World-Wide-Web became the newest communications tool. Four years into the decade three million were online and another four years later another 100 million were e-mailing, shopping at e-stores, and running their businesses on e-commerce. And the music of the decade reflected the growing influence of women with Madonna, Mariah Carey, Paula Abdul and Sinead O’Connor topping the charts. In 1994 Advertising Standards Canada published Gender Portrayal Guidelines.