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Equal Opportunity Advertising Women have already been the target of sex in advertising...now men are also being targeted. It seems that women have always been the target of sex in advertising. Whether it is jeans or weight loss systems, the subliminal message has been "If you use this product you will be irresistable to the other sex."
We are schizophrenic in our attitudes toward sex. The message can be subliminal, but heaven help us if it is blatant. Well, in the last few months American advertisers are becoming more and more blatant.
In my advertising area an ad has been running for Quest phone services. It is a place where singles can make contact. Yeah, right. Well, lately the ad has featured a rather good looking female. Does the ad focus on her head and on her talking on the phone? Yes, that is there. But there is something more. She is wearing a cropped top. There are several shots of just her middle section. What does that have to do with anything other than sex?
Tag deodorant is a new one on the market for men. Hey, men, now you are the target. Not only are men targeted, but those in high school or younger are the target. One ad warns parents that dropping grades and torn shirts might be an indication that their sons are using Tag. Another shows a group of 3 young women (high school?) playing cards with a young man. It's strip poker. Just as the girls are about to take off their shirts, one of their fathers comes into the basement and chases out the young man.
I saw the most blatent ad using sex to sell its product this morning (Sunday, Aug. 27). It has Dan Marino asking if your sex life isn't what you want it to be, use Nutrisystem. Later in the ad the benefits of weight loss include better health and, yes, sex.
The sad part is that advertisers and, yes, the American consumer has bought into this rubric.
It doesn't matter what jeans you wear, what perfume you use, what makeup extends your lashes, or what deodorant you apply, you will not improve your sex life unless you, personally, feel sexy. Being sexy is not an image, it is a state of mind. If you feel sexy you are. Yes, if you lose weight you might feel better. You might have a better self-image, but losing 50 pounds alone will not make you sexy. You might have more energy for sex. You might have more endurance. You might simply feel better about yourself.
So, women are no longer the targeted audience for using sex in advertising. Men, you are also in this with us. The message is also blatant. Let's get rid of the false message. There are two of them. First, sex is OK to sell products but not for personal enjoyment. Sex is for personal enjoyment...always. It is a part of our every-day lives and not something to be relegated to a few hours in the bedroom. It is not something to be hidden and brought out only for advertising. Also, using specific products will not make you sexy. Only your own attitude about yourself will do that. Whether you are only 4% body fat or have lumps in the wrong places (according to the ads), you are and can be sexy if you think you are.
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