Sex Sells – How and Why?

Sex sells – How and Why?

Introduction

        Sex has been used as a marketing tool for centuries its effectiveness can be questionable but is very rarely challenged. There are various examples which show how sex in advertising has come to the aid of failing brands. In some cases sex in advertising contributes to the building of strong, vibrant, and long-lasting brands. The considerable quantity of advertisements containing sex that exist in modern day society shows that they have proved successful in marketing. You only have to look at any mainstream magazine to see how prominent sex is within advertising.

         Advertising is about getting one’s message noticed among the thousands of promotional messages and other data people are flooded with every day. Some consumers may not be easily influenced by sex, yet it somehow never ceases to shock, titillate, or sell. Sex performs the task of grasping the consumers attention for numerous reasons.

Grabbing the consumers attention

        Watching adverts that involve sexual content are stimulating because they are exciting and rebellious, drawing our attention towards the advertisement. “Add to this is the fact that the taboo, is socially controlled, and almost always is exciting and arousing. It gets our hormones and emotions in high gear; our physical response to sex and fear are very similar.

There has been much disapproval of sexual content within advertisements and on TV in general, from Magie Thatchers condemnation to the feminist movement. Feminists believe that portraying women as a sex symbol creates a sex-class discrimination and general stereotyping.  But over time this opposition within society has died down slightly. Society’s opposition to the viewing of sexual content  makes viewing forms of sex as rebellious and thus exciting.

Sexual content is a reliable way in which to get your advertisements banned, shock tactics are often implemented. As previously stated sex has the same affect as fear, viewing scary films are compelling due to the same stimulus affects, consumers may refract from viewing certain advertisements but curiosity drives them on. Anything that is banned or frowned upon from society causes interest and is pursued by those who are curious. In some countries and states pornography is completely banned.

“Advertising is about communicating ideals: what we want to be like, who we want to be with, and what we want to have. Advertising paints a picture of our dreams and aspirations” (Reichert 2003, p.71).

Emulating Society to fulfil primitive needs

        Advertising often provides us with ways in which we can fulfil our needs and desires through the purchase of various products. One of our basic instincts is to reproduce which is built in to our genetic makeup. Sex within advertising draws our attention to ways in which we may obtain a sexual partner or fulfil our sexual desires, through the purchase of certain products. To elevate ourselves within society we will often try and emulate those of a higher standing, celebrity endorsements and the use of eye-catching models grab the consumer’s attention and suggests ways in which we may duplicate other people’s success. Advertisers use human desires for certain characteristics to establish mental connections between the product in ways that suggest they can obtain or emulate these characteristics.

Abraham Maslow created a hierarchy of needs listing the main needs of a human being in order. He believed that self actualisation and esteem needs are the two most important desires of humans, this explains why advertising products that provide a way in which to acquire a higher standing within society will sell better. Physical attraction is seen as very important within our society. Advertising is often blamed for societal ills ranging from sharp increases in the incidence of anorexia and breast implants. Products which allow consumers to improve their physical attraction are best sold by sex, because this medium is related to the product. There is a great desire to own products that can help us within society, even if they are based on false promises. Throughout history humans have attempted to solve the secrets of attraction, trying to acquire knowledge that would increase their success in love. Sexy models give a representation to the consumer of what they could look like and accomplish if they purchased the portrayed product.

The arousal of sexual senses (Biological Aspect)

        My interviews have shown that a person’s sexual orientation will have an affect on how their sexual senses are stimulated, but the basic sexual content is very similar. Advertisers manage to reach different consumer groups by flirting with their desires, Reichert identifies five types of sexual content used within advertisement; Nudity/dress, Sexual behaviour, Physical attractiveness, Sexual referents, sexual embeds. These forms of sexual content are used to keep in touch with consumers desires and to grab the buyer’s attention. The Male and Female form are used in different ways to attract consumers awareness. In heterosexual attraction Females are usually depicted communicating feminism characteristics, for example caressing, softly to convey that they would be a nurturing mother. Males are usually shown to be strong and protective, because this is what men want to emulate and females require to feel protected. There has been a large increase in homersexual content within advertising for example Abercrombe & Fitch, the characteristics desired are very similar, but tailored slightly differently.

“Sexuality is a fundamental characteristic of people that influences their thoughts and behaviours, their orientations towards others, and life in general”. (Reichert et al., 2003, p.1)

Some believe sexuality to be spiritual it can say a lot about a person and in an ever changing world it is seems to be important to define who you are to stand out from the crowd, advertisers tap into this and can use sex to build brand loyalty by seeming to be in touch with the consumer and what they are about.

The use of sexual content within advertisements arouses consumers senses and can heighten their fantasies. All humans will come in contact or indulge in some type of sexual activity at some point. This experience is usually met with jubilation. Advertisers use various techniques, to remind consumers of this experience in the hope that they will link the feelings of pleasure that were encountered with a product. The consumer will want to refufill this past sexual stimulation again because an addiction has been created that takes a mental holding upon the subject towards any forms of sexual content. This relation within the human mind maybe mild and subconscious, but as seen will have a reaction upon consumer spending. “Companies deliberately link their products with sexual information, because of our biology we can not help but be drawn to it” (Reichert 2003, p.22). Creating a positive link between the product and the advertisement should improve purchasing patterns. “Elation and orgasmic joy is equated with the attributes of a product, and conversely, the product is associated with an attractive person or their positive attributes” (Doughler et al., 2003, p.39).