The Effects of Sexual Appeal Advertisements - Essay Example

1.0 Introduction: What is Advertising? There are various definitions of advertising available in literature, all of which underline and stress the significant impact that has in shaping and formulating consumer behavior and attitudes. Hall (2000) argues that advertising can be actually defined in several ways (all strongly connected to each other) as it is a rather multi-faceted technique; it is a marketing process, a communications process, an economic and social process, a public relations and an information/persuasion process as well. To that extend, advertising is to be viewed as a general approach and tool at the disposal of corporations and marketers aiming at influencing potential consumers’ perceptions and creating, sustaining or expanding demand for the products or services promoted. (Ayanwale et al., 2005). To that extend, Hensel and Dubinsky (1984) explicitly state that the role of advertising is actually two fold. In more details, ads aim at increasing awareness of the brands and persuading consumers for the benefits attached to it, on the one hand, and shaping cultural beliefs, notions and perspectives on the other hand. 2.0 Advertising and Sexual Appeals The rapid growth and the expansion of advertising campaigns literally bombarding potential consumers and prospective audiences is an admittedly underlining fact. Marketers are focusing on providing advertising messages that will eventually catch the attention of the buyers and attract their interest; in an attempt to maximize the effectiveness of advertisements in provoking the audience’s interest, marketers are very often using sexual appeal messages. Today, it is reported that a respective 65% of the total advertisements (on television and print media) feature some kind of implicit or explicit sexual appeal messages directed (Jung, 2006). Even more, it should be stressed that the majority of those specific ads are non-sexual product/services related; this actually highlights the fact that sexual appeal has merely become a promotional tool applied in virtually every product category regardless its relevance or suitability (Adoimatis and Jonson, 2008; Bel, 2005). This portrayal of sex in advertising has long been a debatable issue in raising critiques and concerns that it negatively impacts the consumers’ perception of self, culture and social context. There have been various researches conducted upon the issue of the effects and the risks entailed in the sexual appeal advertising upon children and teenagers. Prior to investigating those risks, however, there should be a reference as to how the messages communicated can influence individual perception. Kim and Lowry (2005) argue that advertisements’ portrayals tend to shape people’s views about the world; this is explained by the fact that the more the exposure to ads the more the risk to identify with those ads. In more details, as viewers see images and receive messages from the constantly bombarding advertisements they are apt to creating a perceptual world and adopt attitudes, beliefs and expectations about that world which eventually reflect the images and messages that are communicated. Ford et al. (1997) indicate that according to Cultivation Theory, consumers and audiences that are ‘perpetually’ exposed to specific views of the world by the media, gradually begin to accept these views as mere reality. To that extend, it is a growing concern that children and teenagers, who are reportedly spending more time watching TV and reading magazines, constitute a risk group. 3.0 The Effects of Sex Advertising on Children and Teenagers The effects of sexual communication through advertising on this group (children and teenagers) of viewers are firmly concluded upon two respective areas: the self-perception and the self-esteem (Hovland et al., 2005; Linder, 2004). In other words, children and young adults are basically influenced by media exposure to the degree of altering their beliefs and notions about them selves, as being in proximity with those images that are communicated. Kang (1997) stressed that with special regards to the printed media (namely the magazines), the products that are advertised and specifically the models that are promoted have a significant impact on teenagers since they tend to communicate powerful messages as to the ideal appearance and the ideal posture that one should have. Moreover, given the fact that the decoding of the messages that are directed to the audience heavily relies on the visual images, it is more than natural to assume and conclude that the portrayal of models significantly affects the degree of ideal perception. Martin and Kennedy (1993) conducted a research upon the negative effects of sexual appeals acting as role models for young girls. The results were very interesting in supporting the risks that are attached to any kind of sexual advertisements (in non-sexual products/services). More specifically, they found that in their majority pre-adolescent and adolescent girls actually compared their physical appearance, physical attractiveness and their overall underlying sexual postures to that portrayed by models promoting various goods/services. What is more interesting, though, was the fact that this tendency was reported to increase as the age progresses; that is, older girls were more concerned with their overall sexual image and were consciously or unconsciously imitating the models seen in ads. Another research undertaken by Currie (1997) indicated that teenagers, and especially female young adults, were greatly motivated by sexual appeal ads to the extend of comparing themselves with the models as a result of self-evaluation and self-improvement. This means that, in attempting to evaluate them-selves they used as reference points the bodies, the appearances and the physical construct of the female women portrayed in the advertisements. This particular research, revealed that that girls in the age group 13 – 17 were defining their sexual and physical attractiveness according to the standards communicated and messaged through teenage magazines (e.g. Seventeen Magazine). Jung (2006), further studied the issue and concluded that repetition in exposure does have a critical and crucial negative effect in adolescents. In more details, the research conducted showed that the more teenagers view images of models with perfect bodies and sexual and flawless appearances, the more they accept this ‘model’ of women as socially and culturally ideal. Furthermore, Posavac et al. (1998) and Thompson (2000) commented upon the fact that seeing ads that feature sexual appeal messages on the part of young girls, significantly increases anxiety and depression. This is effected by the constant effort to resemble the models that are promoted and eventually look alike the attractive women advertising the various products. A perfect example of this is Kate Moss’s advertisements of Calvin Klein Jeans, where she bares half-naked showing her back to the audience and having adopted an overt sexual appeal in her look. This anxiety and depression, reported to be evident in teenage girls and children, has been well credited by the Eating Disorder Association. (Groesz et al., 2002). The increased number of eating disorders is attributed to the improper and misused sexual models that are marketed in the media. Children and adolescents, when not reaching the standards that are set by the magazines or the TV ads, the tend to lose self-esteem and disregard dramatically their self-perception. Thus, in their effort to reach the ‘acceptable’ appearance, teenagers often turn into exhausting diets that clearly have a negative impact on their health. (Richins, 1991; Thompson, 2000) On the other hand, once having achieved a level of acceptable appearance, girls’ self-esteem tends to overpass normal standards and feel a lot superior than their friends and fellows (Martin and Kennedy, 1993). To this extend, adolescent boys, though in decreased scale, are also negatively influenced by sexual appealing ads. Ganahl et al. (2003) found that TV commercials addressed to male teenagers, promoting games and technological gadgets, in their majority portray images of boys or young adults that are not close to real and normal standards. Additionally, the portrayal of female and male interactivity and relationship fostered by those ads tend to impact the perception of teenage boys as to what is ‘cool’ and what is not. 4.0 The Impact of Sexual Appeal Advertisements on Male and Female Adults Hall (2000) concluded that advertising by nature has two fundamental features: verbal and visual images. The verbal in most cases is directed towards promoting the product or brand itself, while the visual image targets the benefits attached or the pleasure derived from consuming or purchasing the specific good/service. Adoimatis and Jonson (2008) argue that the majority of sexual appeals on ads that promote non-sexual products, feature female role portrayal; physical appearance, lifestyle, sexual posture etc. Various studies upon the negative impact on women’s self-perception and self-evaluation have clearly showed that sexual appeal ads cause psychological tension to females in the sense of idealizing the models and the life styles that are promoted. (Liu et al., 2006; Posavac et al., 1998) Royo-Vela et al. (2007) stress that modern advertisements present women in less conventional roles; depicting sexual images of females that perform every day activities like cleaning the house, cooking or even ironing. The sexual stimuli that is fostered by those ads has been reported to provoke stress to women, who in turn feel that they need to adopt a more attractive and sexual behaviour when dealing with routine actions. In addition to that, the depiction of females in sexual roles (even to non-sexual related products) critically raises issues of perception of female beauty, which in most of the cases causes insecurities and frustration. (Wee et al., 1995) For example, the J’Adore perfume ad which features a beautiful and attractive model with a flawless body structure diving naked into a gold pool and feeling exotic about herself, evidently provokes the desire of women viewers to resemble her and eventually feel the pleasure she is presented to feel. Advertisements use sexual appeals excessively because it is admittedly an effective way of attracting the attention and the interest of the audiences. However, the use of sex stimuli to messages that are not addressed by products or services related to the issue, evidently generates significant problems. Women are induced to create a self-image that is close to the one promoted in the advertisements; thus they subconsciously create an ideal context of a female appearance and lifestyle that needs to be attained. (LaTour and Henthorne, 1993) Jaffe and Berger (1994) conducted a research on the implications of sex – message advertisements on females’ age group 25-40. The study revealed that approximately 84% of the entire sample had pictures of an ideal woman, wife, mother and working female that were identical to advertising models. Nevertheless, the interesting part of the study was the fact that a respective 78% of the female participants indicated that the role models (in sexual appeal ads) communicated were actually the ones embracing success; in other words, the respondents defined and identified successful life and career through the parallelism of pictures depicted in advertisements. Adoimatis and Jonson (2008) further comment upon this issue by stating that success is often promoted through sexual appeal ads, causing this way frustration and in many cases depression to women who if they cannot be like the models portrayed feel rejected and unattractive. Orth and Halancova (2004) studied the same issue and found that advertisements that portray sexually attractive women promoting products in non-sexual ads (grocery products, household appliances etc) tend to cause feelings of inferiority and stress in the female viewers. More specifically, the results reported that almost 71% of the total interviewees responded that they feel uncomfortable with the physical appearance, their body structure, their weight and their sexual appeal. Likewise, 48% of the sample indicated that they felt inferior to the models presented in the ads and that they were trying to adopt a more sexual approach towards doing virtually everything (from grocery shopping to simply watching television). Finally, a considerable 55% of the women tested answered that when viewing particular ads that display sexual stimuli they feel stress and tension and eventually blame themselves for not being like the models depicted. The negative effects of sexual appeal in advertising are also apparent in male studies as well. Ads portraying muscular, almost nude males with exceptional bodies and undeniable beauty have influences over the perception of acceptable and desirable male figures (Bel, 2005). Although the researches on men’s vulnerability to sexual appeal images are limited, there is evidence that males have come to link success with the images viewed on ads. In more details, most of the advertisements picture masculine habits and promote male – directed products in a manner that the visual messages reveal sexuality issues that are in most cases embraced and adopted by viewers. An indicative example is the car (Ford) ad that features an attractive and handsome man who runs with the automobile while thinking his ‘shaded’ sexual intercourse in the previous night. 5.0 The Effects of Sexual Appeal Advertisements on Social Context Adoimatis et al. (2008) stress that individuals tend to re-create themselves as a response to being exposed to advertising images that eventually formulate ideals and acceptable social standards. To this extend, males and females engage into socially comparing themselves to the pictures and scenes that are presented in the ads that attract their interest; thus, given the fact that sexual appeal ads catch the initial attention of the audiences it is more than clear that these ads have profound impacts on what individuals perceive as ideal within the boundaries of social construct (Wee et al., 1995) Royo-Vela et al. (2007) argue that improper depictions of sex roles may be detrimental to society due to the fact that they generate misconceptions of the actual roles as opposed to the ‘proper’, or ‘best’ and ‘successful’ ones. Therefore, ads that reflect certain roles for men and women tend to eventually impose these roles as being the appropriate ones. Females are often portrayed as sex objects in advertisements that either relate to sexual products or not; this fact is critically important in creating and developing stereotypes. Wee et al. (1995) suggest that when certain images are repetitively communicated they gradually become stereotyped and standardized within a society. In the past, female figures in advertising were pictured as housewives and mothers in house settings. Today this scenario has much been changed; nowadays women are placed in non-conventional settings as beautiful, sexually attractive, professionally successful and virtually free from any constraints (Bel, 2005).This changing role that is communicated through the media has ultimately re-defined the ‘should be’ role of women within the community. However this is not the reality for all women out there: there are females who do not pursuit any professional career, rather they devote their time to their family and household. This fact, however, disregards their overall social position and social status due to their lack of any of the characteristics that are promoted through the messages. Kim and Lowry (2005) and Adoimatis and Jonson (2008) agree that women who find themselves resembling to the models pictured in the sexual ads tend to have a strong social identity and feel socially superior. On the other hand, sexual appeals on ads have profound impacts on feministic subjects as well. Women in most of the cases are portrayed as sexual objects for men, who conclusively derive pleasure by viewing the visual messages. (Ford et al., 1997) Royo-Vela et al. (2007) argue that nowadays females are presented as dependent, inactive and in constant effort to attract and serve men. A perfect example of this is the famous Martini advertisement featuring Charlize Theron, who is provoking the male figure through ‘tearing her dress apart’ while standing of the chair. This issue critically raises the negative reaction of feminist groups and individuals that oppose the picture of women been sexual pleasure tools for males. These images, however, tend to become stereotyped as well to men who gradually feel the object of desire for women and perceive themselves as superior over female figures. (Kim and Lowry, 2005). Finally, another very important issue that relates to the influences of the particular type of ads on the social norms and values is the aspect of violence that is often depicted in sexual appealing messages. Various ads portray interaction between men and women with the interference of violence approach; this too becomes acceptable to the viewers as they are repetitively exposed to these images and eventually show no surprise or make no objections. (Orth and Holancova, 2004) Sexual violence thus is communicated as something natural and ‘desirable’ in some cases to the individuals, who may in turn well practice similar actions within the boundaries of ‘acceptable’ and ‘normal’ behaviour. 6.0 Conclusions Sexual appeal in advertisements is undeniably an effective and successful promotional and marketing tool used by advertisers around the globe in an attempt to attract the attention and the interest of the viewers and potential consumers. Is it however ethical to use sexual stimuli in promoting products/services that have nothing to do with sex? The answer is probably not. Various researches and studies have indicated that the improper use of sex appeals in advertising can have significantly negative impact on the psychology and the self-concept of individuals. To that extend, teenagers and adults around the world being exposed to sexual messages promoted by advertisements tend to feel tension and stress about their physical appearance, their body, their attractiveness and their role within the society. Advertisements manage to establish stereotypes that do not reflect the reality and do not in any case enhance and foster personally and socially acceptable behaviors. Advertisers and marketers need to be sensitive about this issue and consider not only the power of sexual appeal in getting the attention of the viewers, but the power of the sexual appeal in stimulating emotional and psychological responses to individuals as well. (Wee et al., 1995). Works Cited Adomaitis, Alyssa Dana, and Johnson, Kim P. “Advertisements: Interpreting Images Used to Sell to Young Adults”. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management. 12 (2008): 182-192 Ayanwale, Adelou. B., Alimi, Taiwo., and Ayanbimipe, Matthew. 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