Sex in Advertising: Just Sell It
82How Does This Ad Make You Feel?
What exactly is being advertised here? Rape? Voyeurism? Shoes? Victimization of women, maybe? I can't tell. I do know that I find this image deeply disturbing. Reading the commentary on it as I researched this on the internet I saw that some found it humorous,some found it blase because, "after all, the guys in the picture are obviously gay", some just saw it as advertising, and some were appalled.
I am amoung those that were appalled. Violence against women is at an all time high and it doesn't look like things are going to calm down anytime soon.
Advertisers Are Going Too Far
Advertisers are using 12-14 year old girls. That isn't new, it has been going on for years. I find that alone is disturbing because, while society complains that children are being sexualized at an alarming rate, we continue to accept advertising that sexualizes them. Because, after all, it is only advertising. It isn't real.
We allow our daughters to possess magazines that have advertising like this in it. We possess publications with this type of advertising in it. What exactly do we tell our children; both sons and daughters, when they see these graphic pictures of pretend violence? Why is it interesting enough to us to sell cosmetics and overpriced clothing?
Defend Yourself
 | Amazon Price: $8.08 List Price: $14.98 |
 | Amazon Price: $5.34 List Price: $13.95 |
 | Amazon Price: $7.84 List Price: $14.98 |
 | Amazon Price: $11.34 List Price: $17.95 |
Symbolic Aggression
Before we get to far into the argument that she isn't really being hurt..
Just this week an elementary student was kicked out of school because he drew a picture of himself pointing a water gun at a friend. There are things that you cannot say to other cultures/races because those WORDS are considered violent, and rightly so. Yet a picture which clearly portrays something which is at best questionable is passed off as advertising? Change that picture. Put your daughter, your sister, your mom, your wife in that scene with those men. How does that picture look now? Still innocent? Still non-violent?
As the outcry against violence in society becomes more insistent it is odd to me that violence against women is still an acceptable way to sell music, videos, video games, and clothing.
Violence Is Not Sexy
Let's preface this with the statement that within reason whatever a couple decides is sexy behind closed doors that is not degrading to either of them is, for the sake of this article, acceptable.
I cannot understand what is hot about female wrestlers, in various stages of undress, pummeling each-other for the camera. I see nothing of artistic value in the photograph at the beginning of this article. I will give the photographer kudos for lighting, and excellent shadowing but that is it.
Music that glorifies rape, gang banging, and physical violence sickens me. I find it frustrating that I can be sitting in my car at a red light and be assaulted with it even though my windows are up. That shopping can be a headache as I am forced to hear music that I don't want to hear, video clips that I don't want to see all in the name of freedom of speech.
Acceptance is Deadly
Someday my sons will marry. It is my hope that they will treat their wives with love, honor and respect. Some day my daughters will marry. It is my hope that they don't marry anyone that does not treat them with that same love, honor and respect. .
The more we look the other way when this type of advertising occurs, the more we allow it by not crying out and saying no, the more we allow ourselves to become numb to it, well, the more that children and adults alike will accept this as part of life. Cool even. Sexy.
Not my child. Not now. Not ever. Because as an adult, it is my responsibility to shape their characters in a strong and healthy way and images like that are unacceptable.
So, when you hear on the news that another 10 year old girl has been raped by several Jr. High age boys, or a high school girl has been repeatedly sexually molested by her teacher, think of that image and decide.
Seriously, is it worth it?
CommentsLoading...
I'm with you sister! I'm seriously sick of this. Sick of our participation in it. And we participate if we don't sign the petition or demand the advertisers clean up thier act. I used to think envelopes were meant to be pushed and boundaries were meant to be flexibly - but sometime in the last few years I started getting offended.
It's funny, because when they were just exploiting me, I could let it slide. Now it's about my daughter and she deserves better than this.
This is totally a new topic for me. Thanks for sharing it.
that ad at the top creeps me out. it looks like a bunch of guys incapable of growing body hair are about to gang bang some sort of anorexic vampire. ive never really gotten the point of that type of advertising.
GREAT article, very powerful. It's so refreshing to find someone who has some sense.
How do you know that all the guys in the picture are gay? It sounds to me that you are just making assumptions based on the way someone looks. Just not very professional. I totally agree with you, violence is never acceptable.
great article - I totally agree!
well that article is like kinda kool but at the same its like so kr'ep'e
Mark I did not say that I thought they were..Please note the quotation marks around the statement. That means that I ws quoting someone else...if the statement was my own then obviously I would not have needed quotation marks. Grammar 101.
From a woman perspective, the picture could be perceives a gang sex or rape even. Some women may find it demonizing but not men. That is not to say that all man will share the same view but most will see nothing wrong with it.
Really people Don't Think They Onley Know How To Make Money
thanks for enriching my knowledge.I never had heard all this.
Sex should not be sell by advertisments, rather sex education should be advertised..
Sex has always sold things and with the sophistication testing procedures the advertisers now have we can be pretty sure they knew this pic would have the desired effect for their brand.
I'm assuming they were targeting the ad at women which makes me think they are aiming at some subconscious feeling in women about being in control in slightly dangerous situations?
I guess it is similar to the advertising that often appeals to the caveman that lurks inside us men.
I agree with you, Marye. I think it's unfortunate that big advertising agencies keep pushing and pushing the boundaries between right and wrong of what sells - it's so disheartening. Thank you for your post!
Okay, I admit it's safer to take the PC road and avoid people flagging and reporting you behind your back. However, sex has been used to sell products since the start of advertising.
It doesn't bother me. I am not a weak-minded individual so it won't influence me. I am a good parent so it will not influence my kids. Are we a little desensitized? maybe but that doesn't mean we don't know the difference between fact and fiction.
You should check out some of the ads seen in other countries. I buy what I like and don't buy what I don't like. The scary face of the new Burger King disturbs me more than the ad here in your hub.
You want to make a statement that won't be labelled small-minded, un-American censorship? Don't buy the product.
Media does have a great impact on us about this kind of advertising. i think the companies who wants advertisement doesn't seem to mind if what they're advertising is good example or not as long as it's good publicity. The more people recognizes them or their products, the better.
the type of advertisements we have these days have always shown everything about sex, it's just that there are ads that show it in a more subtle way. It's all up to us adults to supervise the kids for what they see and hear. Though it would be quite difficult when the kids go to school since you wouldn't know what they'll encounter or talk about during break time but i guess as much as possible, when kids,teens,younger adults start asking or seeing about these ads, the best you can do is explain it well to them.
I absolutely agree with you!!! Great hub! It has long been my opinion that until we stop purchasing the products and the magazines that use this type of advertising, they are still going to use it. If it works, why fix it? That's their motto. It is sad but we keep buying. I could go on but that would be very lengthy and wind up being it's own hub! LOL
The advert clearly worked and got free exposure by you for highlighting the moral grounds with your article. For years http://www.advertisingguerrilla.com and the United Colors of Benneton created socially provoking advertising for this very reason. Until the lawsuits.
I don't believe any image regardless of content has the influence to make a high school child take advantage of a younger girl. I also don't believe violence in computer games or films encourages real life violence.
Fantasy and reality are separate and adverts sell fantasy, I am pretty sure if you buy D&G you wont turn into a hunky model, or a lucky girl.
The advertisement was design for it's "shock value"...to get through the media clutter, many ad agencies will use provocative images to get a targeted audience attention. I agree with your assessment of the negative influence these kind of ads can have on young people psyche as to what is acceptable behavior by peers.
Marye,
Regrettably, my employment in the legal profession for the last 12 years has given me a certain skepticism. Why is the female model wearing stilleto heels; which classically convey a sexual message from a woman? Why is her facial makeup so overdone; in the manner of a prostitute and why does her expression convey a certain dispassionate look of abandon, as if she's enjoying a temporary feeling of helplessness and freedom from guilt? Most importantly, why are her hips raised to "meet the challenge" [ Is she rising to the occasion? ] Lastly, according to the Shere Hite report on Female Sexuality, sex with multiple partners is a common female fantasy.
Conversely, if this woman were being raped, I would expect her to be struggling; ie, at least one leg kicking toward his crotch and not together; face contorted with anger, fists clenched, etc.... ad nauseum. Frankly, I see none of that here.
I get the distinct feeling however, that you're focusing a certain amount of animosity toward men....and occasionally, I find that the same type of women illogically complain about how "wimpy" men have become; now that men have been legally deprived of many of their traditional rights.
Of course, since some of you are so eager to stultify men, perhaps you should spend some time in a war behind the enemy line doing your own recon. After all, you're just as equal, right? As the 4th of July quickly approaches, please remember that your freedom of democracy has been purchased historically with the lives of many, many men; some of whom [ like myself ] would've given their very lives in combat if it meant the safety of the women they loved. Mindlessly hunting the American male into extinction doesn't do us justice, don;t you agree?
A former Army Delta Reconnaissance Scout
Dear Gulf War Recon,
As former military intelligence myself, specializing in cold war languages, I have to tell you that as usual, you recon guys are too ready to shoot before you have all the information gathered.
Thanks for the laugh this morning.
cgull8m 4 years ago
They use "Sex Sells" theme don't care about the violence that is going on, for them it is cool. But what happens outside to women is not cool. As long they find women to do these things, we will see more like this, they should refuse such things.