Does Sex Sell?
Sex in advertising has stirred controversy for many years, an advertiser must be careful when incorporating it in a campaign.
Good advertisers consider not only the attention-getting power of an advertisement or commercial, but also what kind of emotional response it provokes in customers. Studies show that the attractiveness of the endorsing model provokes positive responses. Nudity and graphic erotic content, while still increasing consumer’s attention, doesn’t really generate positive feelings among viewers. In other words, advertisers must be careful to avoid the “cheap shot,” which may negatively affect a brand’s image.
In a survey of 200 men and 200 woman responses to general questions revealed that sex in ads is a polarizing issue. While almost half the men (48%) said they like sexual ads, fewer women did (8%). When it came to Brand recognition a study showed that 19.8% of men recalled the brand or product associated with the sexual ad compared to woman who only recalled 10.8% ….more
What the Critics say
Use of sexual imagery in advertising has been criticized on various grounds. Conservatives, especially religious ones, often consider it obscene. Some feminists and masculists claim it reinforces sexism by objectifying the individual…more
Conclusion
Sex sells, yes, but only when directed to the appropriate market and “in good taste”. As marketers we must think not only in getting customers’ attention for the short term, but also in building a brand reputation that will yield long-term results.
What I say
It is my opinion that marketers should use all resources at there avail. If the use of sex is an option then go for it. We are a being of free will with the ability to make choices. Change the channel or turn the page. Buy or don’t buy.
What are your thoughts on the subject? Does sex sell? Would you use it to advance your brand or product?
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Sex can harm your reputation in long term. I suggest to avoid it in advertisement.
Dana @ Online Knowledge´s last blog ..Atahualpa 3.4.4 Configuration Part 2
That is a good point, I think some people can get away with and some can’t. I think it is all a matter of preference. I visit blogs and websites that use sex to sell in a tasteful manner and it doesn’t bother me. For example GO DADDY.com it’s tasteful and just part of the site owner’s personality.
Sex is one of the most powerful instincts among men. This is the reason why advertising capitalize on this human psychology.
It does seem to work!
If it’s not sex, they’re going to use another tactic. Whether it’s to scare you into a product or bash a competitor, most ad campaigns are simply attacking where our emotional buttons lie.
BTW, obviously sex does sell. If it didn’t, we’d never see it.
Gabe | freebloghelp.com´s last blog ..Six degrees of site separation
Very true Gabe the fear mongers definitely play heavily on consumer emotions. Really good point
Sex and marketing sex means walking a thin line, either it rocks and you kill it or it makes you look like crap and in turn kills you.
Extreme John´s last blog ..5 Ways Blogging Can Kill You
Excellent point John. It is a very thin line and many have mastered the marketing skill quite well. Then there are those that thought they did a good job for instance, Abercrombie and Fitch who pushed the envelope just one step too far and were banned. Tasteful sells tacky sells too but are those customers select businesses want to cater to?
Apart form what already has been said by the others above, I believe that apples are for apples and oranges are for oranges, meaning, sell sex only if your website is related to that subject, otherwise avoid it at all cost because it will hurt your rep in the long term.
DiTesco´s last blog ..DiTesco’s Weekly Echo #9
Gaining and maintaining a good rep on the Internet is very difficult so I agree use sex to sell only if you know what you are doing and if it is related to your content and audience.
Sex kills you. A lot of campaign prohibits it. For Google’s Adsense, it’s one of the violations against its TOS.
Millionaire Acts´s last blog ..Financial Ratios You Need to Know When Buying a Business
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