Sex in advertising assignment

“ Sex sells”, advertisements designed and developed internationally use the human body and sexuality to sell products from clothing to cars and much in- between, it would be impossible to thumb through magazines targeting teens through the middle aged that did not have some form of sexual connotation related to products for sale. I have chosen the Gucci advertisement, which vividly portrays a well-shaped male and female model partially concealed while in a seductive pose.

In our moral changing society, the target audience could range from early teens to late forties, appealing to both genders. The purpose of this advertisement is to implant an image that will remain in the subconscious of the target market for future sales. I myself am in this target market and was drawn to the image as have been trained to by the multitude of sexual marketing imagery that is consistent with the twentieth century. When dissecting the photo there is an equal amount of skin to clothing ratio to include; pants, shoe, blouse and accessory belt, bracelet and Ackley compared to chest, abs, bicep, breast, legs and manhood.

The man stands dominant while the woman kneels touching the man’s foot where the aptly applied Gucci logo is placed. This advertisement does not express any tangible values but rather supports a social culture that would signify that to be sexy requires you to be fit, beautiful, handsome, exotic and rich. Gucci brands much like Pravda, Dior, Airman and Versa are expensive and considered luxurious which when worn portray an elevated social status.

Actors, models and sports celebrities are often used to market similar products using sex appeal to sell. Sex in advertisement often manipulates us to buy things that we don’t really need. It also reveals how suggestible we are not just in our society but many cultures internationally. Gucci and companies alike will continue to profit from this method of advertising as long as the impressionable consumer continues to participate by purchasing their products. Even though there is a code of advertising it seems that its moral compass is failing.