We’ve all heard the saying, “Sex sells,” but many issues surround this idea of advertising. It is initially meant to evoke positive feelings about a brand association but one study shows that while people prefer ads with high sex appeal at first glance, when they are in the evaluation stage they prefer ads with low sex appeal (National Library of Public Medicine). While sexual imagery can bring attention to an ad it’s always a risky choice. Here we’re going to highlight the pros and cons of sexual advertising.
Pros:
1. Grabs attention: makes an impression and gets the viewers’ attention quickly.
2. Improves brand recall: Most people will remember a sexually appealing ad. Although, they may not remember what they were selling, they will remember the ad itself.
3. Some positive associations: Some brands use this tactic in the “buy this to get this” model. For example, a cologne brand may use risqué imagery to show that using it could make one more attractive, and some people do want that.
Cons:
1. Not family-friendly: It can limit the amount of people that you can market your brand to. If it’s not wholesome parents won't want it
2. It promotes sexism: it shows the objectification of bodies. A study done in Italy in 2014 observed that “81.27% of women in advertising are depicted as models, sexually available or pre-orgasmic, used as decoration, or fragmented into body parts, whereas the sum of the corresponding categories for men is under20% (Italian Art Director Club report by Guastini).
3. Body image dysmorphia: Many women feel pressure from constant advertisements promoting physical attractiveness which can adversely affect women’s body image. Ultra-thing ideals are pushed on women of all ages and this is a concern for many health professionals.
Whether or not your brand should use sexual advertising is a very important decision to make. Using sex appeal in an appropriate way can depend on the type of brand, but it also has to consider the negative effects it may have on society as a whole or brand image. The choice is going to be different for each brand.
