Sex In Advertising Essay Research Paper Sex

Sex In Advertising Essay, Research Paper

Sex in Advertising

Brett Denita Baskin

Mr. Blair

World lit 122 – A

December 2, 1996

The use of sex in advertising has become a major selling method in the

society we live in today. It began sixty years ago when a beautiful young woman

introduced the first windproof lighter and a new wave of advertising emerged -

The Pinup Girl. She advertised everything from lighters to laundry soap. She

even recruited for the U.S. armed forces (Parade Magazine; pg 6). Sexuality in

advertising is now a major area of ethical concern, though surprisingly little

is known about its effects or the norms for it’s use (Baltimore Sun; pg. 1G).

Advertisers use of sex appeals has grown and become widely present throughout

the U.S. and really most of the world, but it has never really been clear the

line between offensive and effective advertising. Over the last couple of years,

commercial content, like programming, has gone through a significant maturing

process. Sex has become a driving force. NBC’s vice president for advertising

standards, Rick Gitter, acknowledged that the 1990’s reality can’t be denied

(Baltimore Sun; pg. 1G).

Ann Klein’s company’s ads are some of the most striking ads that are

carried in the main stream media. They have received only a few negative

letters, but they’ve drawn a huge amount of attention (Baltimore Sun; pg. 2G).

“We wanted the women to say, ‘Hey,’ and we have gotten a fantastic response,”

there’s a fine line between doing something new, different and interesting, and

angering your customer with offensive commercials that spoil their commercial

intent. An Ann Klein spot that showed a man kissing a woman and beginning to

unbutton her shirt, was not allowed to air by wary network censors, recalled

company vice president Nancy Lueck (Baltimore Sun; pg 2G). Calvin Klein, an

American clothing manufacturer that courts the glamorous young, drew great

disgrace and shame earlier this year for some particutlarly gamine youth who

lolled about wearing their underpants in a recent campaign, which the network

censors also withdrew (The Economist pg. 53). “Sexiness, as a component of the

good life, is a staple for advertisers ; Coca Cola decorated its drug store

posters at the turn of the century with beautiful young women whom male drinkers

might hope to date and female drinkers might emulate (The Economist pg. 54).”

One has only to pick up any issue of a fashion magazine and page after page is

filled with advertisements attempting to correlate sex and beauty with the

purchase of their products.

The current flood of sex in advertising is often promoted in terms of

fulfilling erotic fantasies and appetites (D’Emilio and Freeman, 1989).

Consumers want to see more, however the use of such appeals is constantly

contested in terms of ethics and morality, much as sexual norms and morals in

general have been contested throughout both American and world history (The

Journal of Advertising, pg 73). Commercials have become a risque as standards

loosen. Networks, in an effort to compete with cable television, have relaxed

thier censorship standards. Advertising standards have always been defined by

the public’s tolerance and the shifting moods of courts and government agencies.

Even though there are concerns about sex and advertising on the air, on

billboards, and in print, it is more accepted now than ever before. However,

ads dealing with the environment or nutrition are coming under much stricter

contraints. The public has become less sensitive to sexy ads, but increasingly

irate about claims involving food and Mother Earth. “While we will tolerate an

expansion in areas that may offend our prurient interest, we are not prepared to

do that with products that effect our quality of life” said Stuart Lee Friedel,

an attorney with the New York based law firm of Davis & Gilbert, who specializes

in advertising (Baltimore Sun, pg 2G).

Advertisers are helping to fuel an unhealthy obsession. “Women’s

dissatisfaction with their bodies is considerably more prevalent now than a

generation ago. “Ours is now a society that is increasingly preoccupied with

appearance and weight,” says Judith Robin,Ph.D., former chairman of the

psychology department at Yale University, currently president of the University

of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and a recognized authority on body image.

Magazine covers, TV shows, music videos and movies tend to feature very thin

women over those with more realistically filled-out figures. Advertisers want

people to feel dissatisfied with our current appearances, so they will be more

inclined to purchase their products that offer improvements. ” The media now

exposes us to this single ‘right look’, and the beauty industry promises that

anyone can attain it,” writes Dr.Robin, who is also th

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