In chapters 8-12 of Buy-ology, Martin Lindstrom discusses topics such as Sensory Branding, using neuromarketing to predict future sales, sex in advertising, and the future of consumerism. As a female, I was really interested in the chapter about sex in advertising. We are lead to believe that sex sells, but Lindstrom argues against that idea. He discusses a study done by MediaAnalyzer Software & Research which found that, “…only 9.8 percent of the men who had viewed the ads with the sexual content were able to remember the correct brand or product in question…” (181). If this is true, then why is it that companies keep relying on sex to sell their products? Lindstrom writes, “…sex in advertising is everywhere—not just in TV commercials, magazines, retail spaces, and on the Internet, but on the side of the bus you take to work, in the aisles of your local deli, even in the airspace above your head” (180). We are bombarded with advertisements everyday and a lot of them are sexualized. While reading Chapter 10 I recalled Burger King’s ad for “The Super Seven Incher." Advertisers will use sex to attempt to sell anything, from vacuums to alcohol to food. Do you think the sexualized BK ad helped them sell more sandwiches? I doubt it.
In Chapter 10 he also talks about the use of "real" people in advertising. He found that the use of “real” people in ads as more likely to sell a product than the use of a celebrity. He writes, “By sheer ordinariness, real people suggest an authentic back story” (189). He cites a study done by the University of Florida that shows, “women, in fact, are often turned off by extremely attractive models” (186). This reminded me of two fairly recent campaigns, the Dove Real Women Campaign and the Fruit of the Loom ads which also feature real women. “Average-looking people seem more inviting, as though welcoming us to the brand” (188). If this is true, why don’t more companies use real people in their ad campaigns? I, along with millions of others, tuned in to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on November 29th. Over the course of the hour I checked my Facebook a few times. By the end of the show I found that the statuses "telling the models to eat" outnumbered the statuses contemplating anorexia. After last year’s show, almost every girl I knew wanted to go anorexic and grow 6 inches. Do you think that the “real people” campaigns are having an effect on consumers? Are we ready to accept ourselves for who we are instead of striving for an impossible standard of beauty?
Sarah DeMarco
Section 01
The old adage in advertising was that "sex sells". However, what most research is indicating is that sex sells sex not the product being advertised. Recent research also reveals that sexy advertising does not catch the eye of the female consumer. One study on this subject indicates that the female consumer is more drawn to the product being hawked by the wholesome model and they are not enticed by the overly sexy or erotic model. Thomas Walsh 01
ReplyDeleteSex advertisements are literally posted every where you look in the United States. Every person in the country probably sees multiple advertisements a day containing sexual based marketing. I agree that sex might not always sell but it does serve as a valuable marketing tool for marketers because they are able to fool people with this type of advertisement. Marketers are able to capture an image that they know is not maintainable by the viewers encouraging them to consume constantly. If the projected a reachable goal then people would be able to reach this and no longer consume such products. Robbie McLarney 01.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I think people are definitely ready to ditch the impossible standard of "beauty" that marketers are projecting. I was surprised when you first mentioned that research showed men couldn't remember brands from sexual advertisements. Due to this study, I'm beginning to think that people are becoming so accustomed to sex in ads that they just tune out the brand names and focus on the sexuality (at least men do). I was also surprised (and happy) to hear that the public is more receptive to "real" people in ads than flawless looking models. It seems that everyone is jaded by oversexualized marketing, women and men alike. People don't want to buy their clothes, jewelery, technology etc. from impossibly good-looking mannequins. It's about time!
ReplyDeleteAnother theory I have is that this "standard of beauty" in advertising simply isn't considered attractive anymore and that's why it's no longer successful. For example, I know a few guys who would be willing to admit that the body types of the Victoria's Secret models are too thin and therefore undesirable. This unattainable standard of "perfection" doesn't even reflect what people are attracted to. More people will turn their heads if "normal" looking models advertise brands. I hope more marketers take a hint from this research.
This post reminded me of when we watched "killing us softly" in class. The last question you ask is if we will accept ourselves. And the answer is, not anytime soon. My friends watched the fashion show and she said the same exact thing. That she wanted to go anorexic. However, my friend has already been criticized by doctors for being unhealthy and underweight. I just do not understand why girls would put themselves in this situation and "allow" models and advertisers to make them feel this way.
ReplyDeleteBut it isn't the women in this Country's fault that the advertisers and models have mastered the use of subliminal messages in their ads to make women feel like they need to strive for perfection. A perfection that Kilbourne describes as impossible since these images of perfection are digitally constructed and use the best aspects of multiple women just to generate the one message.
I do not think that helps sell products, maybe for a small gtroup of people, this overlapps with what I am learning in another class about the dominant group, which in this case would be male exictuives suppressing the female s in the adds to keep their top place in society, by repeating the message that femals are for see ing and not beeing heard, they can keep their top place, but this not our focus, about the real people, remember the pregrissive comericals? Flo is not an actress as far as i know, she is a real person who be came recognizable form the adds she apears in, same with the subway guy, I don't wanna botch his name i have no idea how to spell it
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ReplyDeleteI think it's hard to say that "real people" campaigns are having no effect, but I don't think they are curbing our desire for the unobtainable. Like you said, tons of people tuned in for Victoria's secret, but was it really to see a new line of underwear? And is it that 90.2% of men who don't remember the correct brand or product in a commercial, or that they were too interested in the sex appeal to care?
ReplyDeleteI don't think it has changed our desires, but bringing it into our awareness probably has not gone unnoticed. Then again, if the only thing we care about in commercials are things with sex appeal, maybe we'll overlook the normal people just as easily as the commercials and brands.
And I think that this protest has not been the reason that advertisers have used normal people, as much as it has been a play to get free media coverage and gain by a break away form the norm. If every commercial started using normal people, the commercial that used the model featuring unobtainable beauty would get everyone's attention, so it could just be part of the cycle.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is a prime example of how a company uses sex to sell a product. While it does make sense that a lingerie company would use sex to sell their products, it seems as though VS has taken sex appeal to a new, unrealistic level. Though VS has always used thin, beautiful products to market their clothing, the models of today are far different than the models they used in the past. Long gone are the thin, but healthy models of the past, such as Tyra Banks. Today, VS is represented by models such as Adriana Lima who is 5'10 and a rumored 115 pounds, a full 20 pounds below the minimum healthy weight for a woman her height. Thankfully, many women are looking at Adriana Lima and thinking she looks unhealthily thin, but there are still many women out there who strive to look like she does. I believe the statistic mentioned in Buoylogy and the blog concerning women being turned off by attractive models is true. I think that having such thin models in the fashion show this year has alienated many women who feel they will never look like the models do in VS products. Hopefully companies will begin to realize this and will use more realistic looking women in their advertising.
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ReplyDeleteI was also interested and perplexed by the studies Lindstrom quotes that report sexual content doesn’t equal memorable advertisements. I would like to know more of the details from the Media Analyzer Software & Research study as well as the University of Florida study because how ads and questions are posed has an effect on the answers. It is certainly possible to inadvertently predispose a particular research study to yield a range of results. Nonetheless, this does not explain the prevalence of sex in advertising. I think it activates some unconscious tendencies and also has an accumulative affect. In my opinion advertising will remain provocative even if the industry’s perspective on beauty is becoming more diverse.
ReplyDeleteM.Ciccone Section 01
I think that the idea of selling "real" people is an effective method to only a certain point. If your selling makeup, not even a woman would want to buy something that she thinks will make her look less attractive. So maybe women are turned off by a super model selling a hamburger but, i dont think anyone wants to see a large bottomed woman selling you memberships to a gym.
ReplyDeleteI for one think that ideals in Sex and beauty are in constant change and really subject to the era. With information on topics such as anorexia or bulemia increasing on the internet, while at the same time there is also information on nutrition becoming more readily available on people's minds, our notion of beauty has really shifted towards the healthy side.
ReplyDeleteIn general though, I find it interesting that that the ideal masculine body has somewhat remained constant throughout history (a build based on healthy eating, nutrition, and excercise) while the ideal feminine figure seems to always shift in society.
But in either case, with regards to what people buy, I feel as though generally people will buy what they see as attainable. Like overweight people may buy at subway thanks to Jared's weight loss story because it isn't so unreasonable to think they can do it too.
On the other hand for icons such as like a baseball player, maybe the ideology is slightly different, rather than some notion that you can really become as good as that player, maybe what sells is the idea that you can become better and more like that player because of that item.
I feel that ever since advertisers realized how effective sexual images are, it has been the most popular way of getting consumers' attentions to buying their products.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I feel in this time of age, consumers are so exposed to these images that they are able to handle it more logically. For the Victoria's Secret Fashion show, I know that many people already have high expectations of how the models should look like and were disappointed to find some of them too skinny. Also, I feel that women these days see these images as motivations to live healthier in order to become more beautiful instead of undermining their looks. In addition to that, the beauty market recently seemed to pass out the idea that everyone can be beautiful.
I believe we have reached what Malcolm Gladwell refers to as a tipping point, in modern advertising. Advertisers and companies have relied so much and so heavily on the use of sex, celebrities, and models that people have become inured to it. It has lost its shock value simply because it is no longer shocking to us. It is different and shocking to use "real " people in ads, therefore, people remember those ads and those products.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of advertisers’ use of “real” people in their advertisements has to do with them trying to encourage consumers to have a sense of empathy and connection to the models in the advertisements. When a consumer sees a “real” woman in a Dove or Fruit of the Loom commercial, advertisers are hoping for her to make the connection that this product is designed for normal people, and since the consumer is a normal person, she needs the product. It is also important to remember that the Dove and Fruit of the Loom advertisements using “real” women were targeted towards female, not male, consumers. Instead of taking the risk of alienating female consumers by showing beautiful women, marketers tried to lure potential customers in by showing them that the product was designed for “normal” people. While these advertisements are far from benign, I think most people would agree that they are far less exploitative and harmful than sexualized advertisements featuring attractive models.
ReplyDeleteTom Reilly, Section 01.
Sarah great blog! In my opinion I believe American society is ready to embrace natural beauty and real people in commercials. I agree with Martin Lindstrom when he states, “Consumers are far more likely to identify with people who look more like us and less like Scarlett Johansson” (Lindstrom 187). I think society is getting tired of comparing themselves to celebrities and models and simply find real people in commercials much more authentic. On the contrary, sex will always continue to appeal and sell, marketers and advertisers will use their creativity and ingenuity to continue selling products through sex and beauty. It is up to society to distinguish what appeals to us the most.
ReplyDeleteI think like everything else in life what will be most effective in the world of advertisement comes in waves. Initially, these sex driven advertisements were shocking. It was this shock that brought the viewers in and what ultimately created a successful ad campaign. However, over time we become desensitized to these advertisements and eventually we need to come up with something new. The first time I saw the above mentioned Dove commercial I was shocked to see the use of "real" women, with bodies that I see throughout day to day life. Again it is this shock that initially brought in my viewership. Eventually though we will become desensitized to this as well and a new form of advertisement with become popular.
ReplyDeleteKara Kiensicki (Section 01)
I think that there will always be those people who don't fall for the facade advertising presents us with, and then there will be others who fall for it and seek that impossible way of life. I see these "real people" campaigns as just another way to sell a product. Sure, it's more appealing than having a celebrity act out a scene selling a product you know they don't use, but it is still just a way to tap into another market. These ads are more welcoming however, and do make you feel better about yourself, instead of feeling miserable and using the products on t.v. to feel better.
ReplyDeleteSex is all around us and it’s hard not to look. A shirtless man or a bikini-clad woman showing off their body wants you to buy a product. You might think you get the same results as they do, but that’s never going to happen. Also if a kid saw this, it could lead to problems for them. Bottom line is “sex sells” and you (and everyone else) can’t avoid it.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Rizzo section 80.
Personally, I did not watch the Victoria's Secret fashion show for just this reason. I do not enjoy watch women who are extremely attractive parade around almost naked only reminding me of what I am not. I am sure that I am not the only person who feels this way. As a matter of fact, most of the people that I know personally who watched the fashion show were males. These are clearly not the type of people that the show was targeting and will not be the ones buying the products. I agree that the "Real people" advertisements are working and do push consumers to want those products instead of those advertised by unrealistic looking models. If Victoria's Secret had used more real looking women, many more women would be more likely to have watched and actually want the product.
ReplyDeleteI feel that sex is used so much in advertising because it is something that most people are compelled to look at. I'm not saying it causes people to want to item being sold, but it does cause them to look at the ad. Some of these ads personally annoy me because they do make no relation to item being sold, AT ALL. Along with your comment about the Victoria Secret fashion show, I could not agree more. Both my male and female friends were making many comments about the models are actually TOO skinny and not attractive in the way the show markets them. I think people are starting to realize and have more respect for the "real people" ads. Great blog!!
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ReplyDeleteThe Victoria Secret Fashion Show is an excellent example on how sex is sold toward the public. Answering your question: I do not believe we are ready to accept ourselves for who we are instead of striving for an impossible standard of beauty. I as well saw twitter and facebook posts saying "I wish I looked like them." As a society we are bombarded by the "typical" look of what a human being should look like. Society emulates women with a toned body, with excellent sex appeal. As for men, society emulate men who are handsome, tall in stature, and muscular in appearance. Many people have dieted and exercised to achieve this look. However, in dire situations people develop food disorders as a result. As long as companies advertise sex appeal to the public, society will always try to achieve that standard look.
ReplyDeleteMiles Kong
Section 01
I strongly agree with what you are saying. The idea that sex sells has been around since advertisement first began. I think it is interesting though that women are more sexualized than men are. With the Victoria's Secret Fashion show, beautiful models are displayed one after the other, after the other, and so on. This is the image that teenage girls, as well as women of every age are looking at and that's where the comparisons begin. People become their own worst enemy. If we continue to use women who are 'perfect' as representatives of what every woman should look like and strive to be than we as a society are doomed. I know that I personally relate better to commercials and products that use your every day woman to sell products such as the one you mentioned for Dove. This strategy of using the average person to sell a product works because it gives it a more personal, genuine, and trustworthy feel.
ReplyDeleteI truly hope that the “real” people campaigns are making a difference for those brands. It shows the integrity to stray from the common and sexist marketing of other companies. I too notice that I respond better to commercials that have actors who remind me of myself or people I know. In the case of the Victoria’s Secret show, I am not surprised to hear that many Facebook statuses reflected a feeling that those women are underfed to say the least. I would have most likely responded the same way had I seen it. Thankfully, the last couple decades have welcomed models who are not the pasty white, 90 pound sticks that fashion in the 80’s and early 90’s seemed to have an obsession with. Women like Beyonce and Sofia Vergara are using their womanly curves to take back the ideal standard of feminine beauty to what it should be.
ReplyDeleteYou brought up the point that only about 10% of the men that view ads with sex oriented themes could remember the brand that was associated with it and while it may be true I think the reason for using sex still is the amount of attention it grabs. Yes, only 10% of the males remember it but how many more men looked at the ad than if there had not been sex themes included. I think these sexual themes and celebrities are used because of the overall increase in views an advertisement receives from it. If you are getting more people to look at your ads you are doing your job as an advertiser and as such these themes will see even more use in the future
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I agree with Josh. Sex attracts mens attention to ads whereas other ads without sex men may skip over. It is sad but the world we live in revolves around sex. Even if they dont remember the brand specifically it is in their hidden memory and may come to fruition later. This is where the message lies and how advertisers are trying to influence men. For example if they see a Victoria Secret model on TV it may remind them of the brand and lead him to buy his wife or girlfriend a gift.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very intersting pieace of writing that has some awesome points. Sex is something that is used very often to attract people to certain brands or what companies are trying to sell. Sex and the idea of it gives people a certain feeling of satisfaction. It is desirable and companies want you to be attracted to what they are selling through sexual advertisements. It was very interesting to find out that only 10% of men who viwed brands with a sexual theme associated with it could remeber what the advertisment was. This is very intersting because the ads seem to be poping up all over the place to this day.
ReplyDeleteSex sells period. The VS Fashion Show is an awesome example. While you may have had mixed results with the reactions you saw on Facebook, the fact is many people watched the event. Maybe VS isn't getting the kind of exposure it wants from you and your friends on Facebook (who probably share similar views to you and only make up a small portion of the viewing population) you certainly viewed the ads during the commercial breaks of a sexualized program.
ReplyDeleteThere is also probably an even larger uneducated, ignorant, or indifferent population that did receive the VS Fashion Show positively. This popuation also saw idols such as Kanye West and Jay-Z associated with the show and now are more inclined to buy VS products or the products displayed during ad space.
I also agree with the notion that sex sells. In the documentary the class viewed earlier in the semester, "Killing us Softly 4", the narrator informs the viewer of the effects that models have on young girls who try to emulate their skinny figures. In fact, these girls were so influenced by the "attractiveness", most of which stemmed from special effects and touch ups, that some started developing eating disorders. This shows that sex reached these young women in such a profound way that their lifestyles changed to form around what they saw as sexy. They bought not only individual products marketed by the models, but actually "bought" their lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteReally good blog! I totally agree that the ads we see in the media aren’t working to sell the products they are looking to sell. Instead, they are making people think more about themselves and flip the ads around in a comparison of the models and celebs Vs them and how they look and feel. When ads use women that are sickly thin or positioned in suggestive sexual ways it’s totally exploiting women and projecting them in a deeming way. This also reminded me of “the killing us softly’ video shown in class. It really breaks down this whole idea of exploiting women in advertising and the sex sells philosophy. Something that also comes to mind when thinking about the adverse affects on real women through advertisements of phony flawless models, is that it not only impacts how women perceive their bodies, but how men view women as well.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading your blog, I was reminded of Jean Kilbourne's "Killing Us Softly" which discusses advertising’s image of women. Kilbourne highlights that today advertising is drenched in sexism, sexuality, eating disorders, and violence (mostly gendered). It as though through ads we subconsciously learn to associate a product with one of the aforementioned concepts, none of which promote anything positive. In Friedan's "The Sexual Sell" she also attempts to make a parallel between sex and buying, which is touched upon in Kilbourne's piece. Friedan explains that through buying a product, the consumer is trying to replace a need or desire. Such concepts are not mere figments of Kilbourne or Friedan's imagination, these connections are made when a consumer watches a television ad or flips through one in a magazine. Whether we support it or not, it becomes engrained in our brains.
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