Most commercials showcase their product as something that helps men or women get sex. Is that really what people need to see, when buying let's say a pair of jeans, or even perfume for that matter?
Is our society so obsessed with physical attraction that showcasing such crude 'gimmicks' is the only sure shot way to advertise, or bring to attention a particular product?
This makes the impression that, we in the more 'civilized' countries, are only attracted by sex. What is more telling though is that these ad campaigns or commercials rarely depict men in any promiscuous or degrading manner. Often, there's a woman in a wanton position (barely showing the product itself) talking or acting in an inciting manner.
How, exactly, is any of this supposed to make a person remember the actual product, when there's an onslaught of these kinds of commercials, on after another? Is an average person to actually remember the product mentioned in the last few rushed seconds of ads, when most of it is just the same old, everyday innuendoes, rather than something unique to the product?
I honestly don't know what is the product being advertise there. I guess perfume, as if he cannot resist jumping onto her.
ReplyDeleteSex does sell. It appeals physically and emotionally. We think about sex all the time whether subconsciously or consciously. I am not thinking about sex when I buy jeans, but I am thinking what looks good. A Psychologist would argue the desire to look good comes from our biological need for sex. Humans are advanced due to their frontal lobe, but we are animals still. Additionally, marketers have this logic: everyone wants sex. Sex is pleasurable. Pleasure comes from this product. Everyone wants this product. However, sex should merely be hook; marketers should still deliver the point (or product).
Doesn't that logic imply that we are a sex-obsessed society?
DeleteI agree with though when you say "However, sex should merely be hook; marketers should still deliver the point (or product." because at the end of the ad, the whole point should be to bring attention to the product, and while sex might be a hooker, the product loses its 'spot in the limelight'!
We are sex-obsessed, but we can repress it into our subconscious. It's a biological fact. Our need to procreate is really dominant.
DeleteAs a seller, you want to draw much attention to a product as much as possible. What's a good attention drawer? Sex appeal is. Because mostly everyone in the world thinks about or want some kind of sex appeal. If they see a man getting all the attention of women by wearing a certain item, many men will be in the idea of "oh I should buy these pants and maybe I can score!". It's trying to make a quick buck if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteAs long as the product is being sold, marketers don't care how it is presented. If it's pointed out in media, it would actually draw more attention and more people would buy it.
So basically, our society is progressing to a state where the only appeal it can get is through being physical. Do you think that we're progressing to a state where we'll lose the sense of small pleasures and attractions (innocent ones)?
DeleteIt’s human nature to think about sex. This ad is presented in this awkward way is because it lours in the attention of people. Would you stop to watch an advertisement of a women spraying on perfume while flipping through the channels, or an intense sexual hot scene (containing a really hot male/female) ... which promotes perfume? Your attention is lured in all the way until the end, with the lasting two seconds projecting the product. And sadly, yes society only cares if you're pretty or dying which is why in most ads you will see good-looking people because this too catches one's attention. I think perfume, shoes (for women), or pants for men is being advertised here. Yes, this ad will be remembered because of its awkward positioning but also what one may secretly desire in oneself. If from buying those shoes you will have men jumping on you, women will then buy those shoes. If wearing those pants gives you the power to over dominate other men and attract women, then men will buy those pants etc... It plays with issues individuals may deal with, which is why all media is constructed and is gained in a different perspective through the eyes of others.
ReplyDeleteAs an average human, is that really what attracts you to buy a product; the surety that the product will gain you the experience of men jumping on you?
DeleteWhere I come from, ads are really unique and original to the product being featured, and in my opinion, that sells just as well as these ads, which just proves that ads don't necessarily have to have sexual contexts in them to attract the mass.
I think that most mass industries such as the ones you stated and in addition to HUGU Boss and other products that sell clone or perfume, which has nothing to do with how people act, advertise their commercials mostly in a sexual manner. For example the company AXE tends to make a seductive commercial like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3qYT60DSKQ . However you will rarely see this kind of effect from a women's point of view. It's all a way to sell their products even though they do it in a wrong manner.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that ad campaigns can be just as successful if they remove sexual contexts from the ads?
DeleteLike the other comments, the purpose of advertisements is to attract the people to buy their product. If a company uses a lame advertisements for perfumes, do you think that lots of people will buy it? I agree that people will tend to buy perfumes that attracts other people in their advertisement. I also think that these kinds of advertisements are acceptable for most of the society. Also, companies benefit from these type of advertisement. Therefore, as long as they earn a profit, they will use these kind of advertisements.
ReplyDeleteI agree that from a business perspective profit is all that matters, and to earn profits most companies do anything that they can to get maximum profit. But at some point, because to a certain degree (as I think we've all agreed) media dictates what is 'hot' and what is not; why is our 'practical/civilized' society so tolerant of this view of things?
DeleteIn advertisements many gender stereotypes are portrayed. For example, the Dolce and Gabbana ad shows a woman lying down on the floor as objects of a man’s mock assault. Also, in this ad, men are depicted taller and larger than the woman. Another common gender stereotype that is seen in advertisements is the feminine touch, where women are caressing or cradling the surface of objects with their fingers. I also agree with Maheen when she says, “Sex does sell.” When we were young cartoon characters like Dora, and SpongeBob were used to sell products. For the older generation they use celebrities or sex to sell their products. Many advertisements use celebrities to endorse their products because the audience who are consuming the commercial will believe that if I buy this product I can be like that celebrity. We want to buy/wear clothes or perfumes that are appealing especially to look good which attracts attention from both sexes. In many films the dominant discourse is that everyone wants to find a partner and have a family. So if you buy this perfume, the chances of a man leaping into your arms are higher.
ReplyDeleteI agree, that because sex sells, I feel like oir society is shallow and unseeing. It's almost as if society promotes this sort of action, where it's ok for males to jump on females because of the attractive perfume that they have on (almost a way to excuse the behaviour of the two parties).
DeleteIn the picture ad I don't know what product is being advertised. For the video you find out in the end that it is perfume they are trying to advertise. I agree with you that nowadays many of the commercials and ads we see use sex as a way to advertise. I think that this does attract many people towards the product but that just proves that many people are sex driven. However by having so many of these ads and it is possible to advertise the same thing but in a different way, the media is trying to prove that everyone in the world is sex driven. I also think that these ads are portrayed everywhere but there are children everywhere as well. They see these ads and they influence these small kids. I don't have a problem with these ads because the companies are trying to attract people and make a profit however when they start influencing kids under the age of ten, I see a problem there. Kids are innocent and I think we should help keep their innocence.
ReplyDeleteI think that the easiest ways that companies can keep this 'sex drives' strategy alive and so avid in the society is because these ads, and their subsequent effect on the older generation influences them in thinking that sex is the only attractive force to older people.
DeleteI found the Dolce and Gabbana ad offensive because like Jenani said it perpetuates clear cut gender stereotypes. The women lying on the floor looks so helpless and defenseless and the man is looming over her portraying the stereotype that men are superior to women. Also, in the ad they still manage to capture her best features (i.e. mainly her leg) which really bothered me because showing her leg wasn't really necessary to sell whatever their selling ( I honestly don't even know what their selling). Furthermore, I also wanted to agree with Maheen and the others who said that sex sells (that is especially true in our society).
ReplyDeleteEven though sex sells, why are ad makers taking it to a whole new level and basically promoting that women are helpless, and thus are easy victims, thus promoting the already present stigma that women are sex objects at the disposal of men.
Delete