Sex in advertising too cheap?

By darcvanilla Friday November 20, 2009

Warning:
This article is NOT suitable for those under 18. It contains many, hot, dirty, porn alike, shocking examples of advertising.

I bet you are going to read further no matter what age you are. Did I get your attention?
I bet I did.

Nowadays, advertising agencies focus on three different ways of getting attention:

using humour
shocking/ creating fear
using sex as a main idea

With this shower gel you can score every girl

Lynx shower gel

Maybe sex in advertising is too cheap but it definitely sells. Today’s ads can persuade men that using certain shower gel will increase their chances with randez vouz.
Emily Friedman from ABC News said that:

If there’s one thing that every marketing and advertising pro retained from Business 101 class, it’s that sex sells.

We’re surrounded by all kind of marketing campaigns which try to get our attention. Everywhere we look, there is always some attractive woman or a man on the ad trying to persuade us that this certain product will make our life better and more joyful.
Common themes of sex marketing are work within one formula: “Buy this product, get this reaction”. For example:
If you buy this product:
a) you’ll be more sexually attractive
b) have more or better sex (which for some viewers means: no more “alien hand” style sex)
c) you’ll feel sexier for your own sake

Some of the ’sex sells’ marketing campaigns:

Does the coffee beans make you horny too?

Horny because of the lingerie

Wearing CK Jeans will give you f...fun..

Rape-relative controversial advertising of D&G

The model of Tom Ford has quite nice nail-polish colour. Don't you think?

Poor little girl got enmeshed and needs a help

No idea what this company was supposed to promote..

No idea what this magazine company was supposed to promote..

Who of you girls would sleep with THAT pillow???

Another Tom Ford eye-wear advertisement campaigned got banned..

The ultimate attraction. Mixture of sex appleal with humour style advertisement

Certainly this marketing strategy is very popular. But is it effective?

Fact No1: Sex creates controversy
Fact No2: Sex relates to something pleasurable
Fact No3: Sex relates to our basic instincts (is linked to species survival)
Fact No4: It helps building relationships (most of the times.. except when your husband suddenly discovers something in the wardrobe)

So if all seems to relate to feeling-good mood only, why there are as many advocates as critics?

Sex may sell but great polish wodka has its own recipe for increasing sells

Studies show that while attractiveness of the endorsing model provokes positive responses. Nudity and almost pornographic content, while still increasing consumer’s attention, doesn’t in reality generate positive feelings among viewers.

Sex sells, yes, but only when used “in good taste.”