|
Sex Sells
SEPTEMBER 2006
She clearly had missed her calling.
This blond, goddess seen in a recent Pizza Hut commercial
was a waitress who was seen seductively delivering a pizza.
Maybe a majority of Pizza Hut waitresses fall into the model
category. This one certainly did as she served pizza to a
typical American family, including their
foaming-at-the-mouth adolescent son. Selling pizza has never
really been about crust and toppings, but is pushing pizza
really about sex?
“Sex sells.” That is the old
adage, but is it true?
Sexual Selling Strategies (SSS) are
utilized at seemingly every turn. The News Media, both local
and national; the Entertainment Media; and the Advertising
Industry are all well-versed in these strategies to drive
ratings and subsequent ad revenue. Each is briefly examined
below:
- The News Media—like
clockwork, consumers can gear up for a healthy dose of
sex with their news during any rating’s sweeps period
(sweeps are taken in February, May, July, November in
most markets). During such periods, we can expect a
consistent flow of sensationalized stories that utilize
Sexual Selling Strategies in some form or fashion. Case
in point, during a recent sweeps period a local station
aired a story about a woman who had allegedly sent
sexually oriented web-footage to a minor, which their
report described as “disgusting” and “disturbing.”
Equally disturbing was the fact that they were showing
some of this footage as part of the story. Which
showcased the station's willingness to abandon what was
evidently "appropriate" in order to employ a Sexual
Selling Strategy to boost ratings.
- The Entertainment Media—with
the larger metropolitan markets metered consistently,
SSS are employed routinely for those coveted ratings
spikes. From a plethora of CSI spin-offs to
numerous tabloid-like reality shows, sex creeps in
consistently to draw the attention of libido-driven
remote control passersby.
- The Advertising Industry—SSS
started long ago with ad guys. In fact, advertising
legend David Ogilvy’s first ad contained a naked woman.
Now, sex is used to sell everything from cars—with
beauties draped across vehicles...to apparently, pizza. These strategies began long
ago and are even more revealing overseas, where they
have jarred themselves from the prudish ideals we
American’s publicly cling to. In fact, it’s quite common
to see blatant nudity in ads in France. Several decades
ago a series of ads ran in which a young woman promised
to take off an article of clothing in the next ad. To
the shock of few Parisians, she made good on her promise
and even less shocking, she sold a lot of suntan lotion.
So, does sex sell? Well, yes, it does.
The news industry's use of SSS often results in a newscast
that better resembles CSI @ Eleven rather than
legitimate informational programming. The entertainment
industry will continue to showcase which celebs are engaged
in flambé delecto and ads will continue to fancy the sexy as
long as we are all willing witnesses. Evidently ratings and
results support the strategy for all industries.
The next question is just as easily
answered. Should sex sell? Is that a viable and ethical
strategy? While the News Directors and Producers can answer
for their industries, I will focus on the advertising
industry. Should Sexual Selling Strategies be employed to
move a product? Simply put: it depends. It depends on what
you are selling and if that product or service relies on
attraction and attractiveness as a practical component of
its selling strategy. In other words, if I manufacture
sturdy desks, obviously I want to promote the fact that it
is sturdy. If I marketed clothing that relied on making the
user feel attractive, I would use a sexual selling strategy to promote
such attraction. For example, perfume and cologne
companies should have little hesitation in utilizing a SSS
in their advertising. Certain clothing lines, health and
beauty aids and similar products should also consider such
strategies. These products rely on sexuality as the basis of
their existence.
Yes, sex does sell; and, yes such
strategies are a viable selling tactic when sex is vital to
the existence of the product. It is equally vital to be both
practical and responsible in the message and content when
employing such a strategy. However, using sex to sell a
pizza? I thoroughly miss the connection.
© BrandVision Marketing.
2006. Matthew Scott Trueblood. All rights reserved.
TO READ ARCHIVED SET
YOUR SIGHTS ARTICLES CLICK HERE!
 |
