Sexuality in Advertising

Sexuality in advertising serves several purposes. The prevalent view is that sex itself is appealing, so it gets people to pay attention to the advertising message surrounding it. There is also a shock value that has become more and more important to some advertisers for the same reason--to get the attention of the consumer. American advertisers know that sex sells products and they use sex in ways both overt and subtle, depending on the product and the campaign.

Much of our culture is based on physical attractiveness and its power to persuade, to attract, to influence, and, in a real sense, to succeed. Sex is used in advertising as an expression of physical attractiveness. Our advertising media clearly believe in the power of physical attractiveness to persuade, and spokespersons for products and other people used in television commercials and print ads tend to be physically attractive far beyond the norm in society, apparently based on the belief that we tend to listen more closely to a message delivered by someone who is physically attractive. We are certainly attracted to beauty, though our definition of beauty will differ from person to person and even from context to context. It seems clear then that we would tend to listen to someone who is physically attractive, in essence paying more attention to them than we would to someone who was not physically attractive. It is not as clear that we would be persuaded by beauty instead of by the strength of the messag

Related Essays

Print Advertising Gender .... Thus, we see that gender and sexuality stereotypes still pervade modern print advertising despite our efforts at politically correct behavior and speech. .... (1202 5 )

Sexism In Media .... 1-2. Jensen, R. (June 1, 1996). Advertising, sexuality, and sexism. Contemporary Women's Issues Database. 24, (10-13), 1-6. McCarthy, M. (March 15, 2000). .... (2304 9 )

Subliminal Advertising & its Application .... Advertising, subliminal or any other type, is a facet of the broader .... of resistance and repression, and (3) an appreciation of the significance of sexuality. .... (4942 20 )

Advertising Analysis .... This advertising analysis will use the Toulmin model of argument to explicate each .... As such, advertisers may use hunger, sexuality, desire, or any other number .... (988 4 )

Subliminal Advertising INTRODUCTION This research reviews the e .... Advertising, subliminal or any other type, is a facet of the broader .... of resistance and repression, and (3) appreciation of the significance of sexuality. .... (2681 11 )

ocative pose for Calvin Klein jeans, and it has escalated into fashion advertising that often looks like soft porn. Roger Livingston, chairman of the Seattle agency Livingston & Co., states: I don't think it matters what a bunch of middleaged ad executives have to say about the campaign. What is relevant is what 15yearold girls have to say about it. And I think most kids probably say, "Right on!" That seems to be the aim of most shock advertising: appeal to narrowly defined target groups of consumers (Horovitz, 1992, D1). The Calvin Klein campaigns that featured Brooke Shields claiming that "nothing comes between me and my Calvins" and rapper Marky Mark clutching himself through his underwear generated both public attention and media attention. In August 1995, Calvin Klein, Inc. responded to public pressure and halted an advertising campaign that critics claimed imitated "kiddie porn," using voiceovers, camera angles, and suggestive language which generated outrage from media analysts and the American Family Association: One television ad showed a young man standing before the camera with a male voiceover, "You got a real nice look. How old are you? Are you strong? You think you could rip that shirt off of you?

Category: Psychology - S