<p>Prompt: Write a 750-1000 word essay on the use of sex to sell in advertising.</p>
<p>Essay is below:</p>
<pre><code> When watching our favorite television shows and commercials, we sometimes notice that they are filled with attractive people. Do companies do this deliberately so that we watch their programs or buy their products? Does it work for all audiences? As humans, we are drawn in by the nature of sex, and it is generally accepted in our society. When looking at the Nielsen Ratings for television shows, the highest rated programs tend to feature beautiful people. Reality show, Jersey Shore is a prime example. Popular products have also used this tactic in their advertising. Axe is a popular brand of male grooming products that caters to a young adult audience by featuring beautiful models. Companies have figured out that sex sells in their advertisements, and that is why it is heavily used.
Suppose there are two stores that both sell the same product. One advertises by using a child and his grandfather on billboards, while the other uses a seductive woman revealing her body. Personally, I think that I will most likely buy the product with the sex-themed advertisement. Many people would rather buy a product from a store if they see an attractive person in their advertisements rather than a child and his grandfather. Richard Taflinger says in his book, Taking Advantage, Sex is the second strongest of the psychological appeals, right behind self-preservation. Its strength is biological and instinctive, the genetic imperative of reproduction. The differences in male and female psychobiology cause different approaches to and perceptions of sex, both the act and its outcome. As humans, we are infatuated by the sex references we see in life.
The selling method of a company or business is dependent on who the target audience is. Axe prides itself on using sex in their commercials to attract viewers. A recent article in the New York Times titled, Masculinity in a Spray Can, suggests to the readers that Axe promises its male clients that if they purchase and use their products, they will attract more women. Axes commercials always feature a young male using an Axe product for the first time and having a group of women suddenly surround him. Axe wants its clients to believe that their products heighten their sex appeal and overall confidence, giving them cover to preen. This scheme works best for these products because they are designed for young, sex-driven adults. Sex does not always sell though. Kelloggs most popular cereal, Frosted Flakes, is geared towards a younger and less mature audience. Their commercials feature a talking cartoon tiger, which helps to entice children to buy the cereal. In this case, sex does not sell because breakfast products are in a much different market than beauty products. A company such as Kellogg would risk making a profit if they used sex in their advertising.
Sexually themed material is more available on television than ever because that is what appeals to young audiences in current times. Shows such as MTVs reality series Jersey Shore are very popular because of this. Jersey Shore follows eight housemates spending their summers together, the first season at the Jersey Shore and the second at Miami Beach. The cast members are each paid a large sum of money to party. They go to nightclubs almost daily and engage in sexual activities. The primary viewer demographics of MTV are typically young adults because the network knows that they enjoy that kind of lifestyle. The cast members are also very attractive. We all like looking at attractive people. I recently began watching this show because I was curious just to see what all of the excitement was about. After watching the first episode of season two, I became attached to the show. I enjoyed it so much that I bought season one and watched Jersey Shore in its entirety over the summer. The whole concept of the partying lifestyle appealed to me, and it continued to attract many of my friends and I to continue watching the show.
Since analyzing the use of sex in advertising, I am awestruck by how prevalent it is. I fell into the companies schemes without even realizing it. Success of a company generally depends on how well it advertises and markets its ideas. The company gets their viewers, and the viewers get their entertainment as they buy their products with confidence. As long as sex is in our nature, companies will continue to use sex to sell, and people will continue to fall for their traps.
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