Sex Sells – How and Why?

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“The subject of sex preoccupies us. It is the source of our most intense pleasures”. (Diamond 1997, p.1)

“A crucial element of fantasy’s role in advertising design is the dynamic between desire & product. Both use fantasy scenarios to evaluate or associate a product with fantasy results – i.e. sex/sexual fulfilment. More than just hoping to achieve what is personified in ads, these ads play on our basic human emotions – the need and longing for love, fulfilment, happiness – and equate these needs with a product” (Dougher et al., 2003 p.129).

“One might reason that beauty says nothing about good genes, parenting qualities, or food gathering skills. However the face is the part of the body most sensitive to the ravages of age, disease and injury.” (Diamond, 1997 p.146)

On a primitive level advertisements that involve sexual content that is tailored around reproduction is very affective. Evolution of our culture and ethics has produced a strong ‘family unit’ concept, which is seen within nature, but not to such a strong extent as exists today. We are bombarded with messages every day to how important finding a partner for sex, marriage and reproduction really is. Sex in advertisement is powerful because every single one of us wants to obtain these goals within our lives.

Conclusion

Sex within advertising has been prominent for many years, due to its effectiveness at grasping the consumer’s attention away from other stimuli. “Advertising will continue to face the problem of catching the viewer’s eye.” Advertisers are constantly trying to find ways to make their advertisements stand out from others by using shock tactics to “grab attention and build brand recall.” Sex is an affective tool of attraction. Advertisers use models with characteristics that appeal to their chosen target audience. Consumers will automatically look at the sexual content, to see how they may obtain these characteristics or because they find them compelling in a biological, emotional or spiritual manner. There are many different ways in which sexual content can be used as an advertising medium, for example fantasy role plays, nudity and clever word plays. Sexual content will titillate the intended audience and indulge their libido. It can also offer an escape from reality and fuel their sexual instincts.

Advertises have to be careful in using sex within advertisements, because sometimes they can to go far and their work may be met with repulse due to obscenity. Consumers are exposed to an ever increasing amount of advertisements within society. We are no longer as easily shocked by sexual content, due to encountering it day in day out. Biologically our make-up compels us to pursue sexual goals and to find a sexual partner not only for sexual stimulation but to raise children. Without obtaining these goals we would not be here today. Its basic animal instinct. Advertisers use these needs and desires to divert consumer’s attention towards products for sale.

There are many reasons why sexual content can be used to sell products, a clear correlation between the product and sex often proves to be more successful but generally sex can be used to sell nearly anything because “The subject of sex preoccupies us. It is the source of our most intense pleasures”. (Diamond 1997, p.1)

References

Book reference

- Barry Hoffman (2002). ‘The fine art of advertising’. Stewart, Tabori & Chang.

- Bill Gallacher in: Louise Bishop (1996) ‘The art direction book’. Rotavision SA.

- David Ogilvy (1983). ‘Ogilvy on Advertising’. Multimedia books (UK ltd).

- Lazar Dzamic (2001).’No-copy advertising’ .Rotavision SA.

- Leonie Bennett (2005). ‘The life &Work of Jackson Pollock’. Harcourt education ltd.

- Mark Leigh, Mike Lepite (2000). A Virgins Careers guide to ‘How to make it in advertising..’ Virgin publishing ltd.

- Paul Michell (1988). ‘Advertising Agency-Client Relations a strategic perspective’.Croom Helm ltd.

- Stephen Barker (1959). ‘Advertising layout & art direction’. McGraw-Hill Book company, Inc

- Walter Shaw Sparrow (1924) ‘Advertising & British art’. William Clowes &Sons

- Warren Berger (2001). ‘Advertising today’. Phaidon press inc.

Newspaper article (online)

- Brian Logan (2006). Laughing in his grave. Guardian newspapers limited. [Electronic version]. Retrieved March 29th October, 2006, from: http://arts.guardian.co.uk/edinburgh2006/story/0,,1851914,00.html

WWW site

- art (2006). Britannica Concise Encyclopaedia [Online]. Accessed 29th October, 2006. Available from: http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9355856

- advertising (2006). Britannica Concise Encyclopaedia [Online]. Accessed 29th October, 2006. Available from: http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9354630

- Autotrader (2006) [online]. Accessed 29th October, 2006. Available from:

- Biography (2004). Fay Weldone. Accessed 30th October, 2006. Available from: http://www.redmood.com/weldon/biography.html

- But is installation art? (2001). Tate [Online]. Accessed 29th October, 2006. Available from: http://www.tate.org.uk/tateetc/issue3/butisitinstallationart.htm

- Portraits of Queen Elizabeth (2006). Marilee Cody. Accessed 29th October, 2006. Available from: http://www.marileecody.com/eliz1-images.html

- Salman Rushdie talks with Terry Gilliam (2003). The Believer. Accessed 31st October, 2006. Available from : http://www.believer mag.com/issues/200303/?read=interview_gilliam.html

- Warhol Work Auctioned for $11.7M (2006). MMVI, The Associated Press. Accessed 30th October, 2006. Available from : http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/10/entertainment/main1608386.shtml