Sex sells…but at what cost?
How women are still being objectified by the advertising industry.
Sex has long been on the agenda of advertisers with sexual imagery forming the holy grail of advertising and nudity being at the centre of it all. We are constantly bombarded with representations of sexuality, whether it’s a woman lying half-naked and caressing her body, articles on how to make women orgasm or even reality TV stars lounging around a pool. Sex undeniably sells — a lot.
It is the most frequently used tool to entice consumers and encourage them to purchase whatever unnecessary item is being sold. So whilst it may seem like we have moved on from the peak of sexual marketing in the 60s, we are no further away from it than we are to settling Brexit. Instead, we have just got better at hiding it.
What’s the problem?
So what. Why does it matter that advertising uses sex to sell products? After all, sexual freedom is too be encouraged, is it not? However, it is precisely the portrayal of sex as something that can be bought that is particularly harmful to women. In a society where women are fighting for equal rights and to be taken seriously by men, the adverting industry continues to perpetuate the over-sexualisation of women. The myth that women are objects for male desires and are disposable like the products being sold.
The ideal woman
The manifestation of the perfect woman is heavily embedded within advertising culture. It forms the bedrock of campaigns and is the locus for sexual selling. But what are the main features that define this woman?
· Her boobs are perfectly plump, but not so big as to be defined a back breakers
· She has a tiny waistline, barely able to hold up her breasts
· Her teeth her perfectly straight and white that she could stop traffic
· Her hair is naturally thick and wavy, so much so that it shines in the light
· She has legs that go on for days and are flawlessly straight
· Her skin is seamless, with not a blemish, spot or wrinkle in sight
· Her bottom is perfectly plump and round
· Her eyes are bright and captivating
Men are taught to desire this woman, while women are taught to emulate her. She is the epitome of female perfection.
But, here’s the problem: the representation of this women is highly unrealistic and even dangerous to women everywhere. In fact, this woman doesn’t even exist. She is not real in the slightest. In reality she is the result of hours of makeup, air brushing and filters. Yet, still women are taught that if they purchase the latest product then they can look like her, that they too can look like a computer software version of themselves.
The advertising industry’s obsession with beauty continues to reinforce the sexualisation of women and idealises the reification of their bodies.
Sexist selling
Sexist advertisements that continue to demean and undermine women remain at the centrefold of contemporary advertising. While efforts have been made to try and move on from this, women continue to be perceived as the weaker sex and objects for sexual pleasure. Consider the following:
Women are used to sell male products here through the commodification and sexualisation of their bodies. There is no inherent link between ‘Lynx’ antiperspirant, ‘Tom Ford’ perfume’ and women’s bodies, yet advertisers combine the two to spark interest and intrigue in their protect by catching the eye of the male consumer. The adverts present the women as objects for men’s sexual gratification to suggest that in buying this product they too will be sexually rewarded.
Violence against women
For decades companies have pushed the boat out with raunchy content that is meant to titillate the receiver. However, in doing so advertisements can have the dangerous effect of glorifying the violent exploitation of women. Studies have shown that advertisements containing sex and violence serve to normalise abuse against women and undermine the plight of victims. Two pervasive images of women circulate the media. She is either presented as a temptress that seduces men into sleeping with her or as a submissive, vulnerable female that needs to be dominated and controlled. Both are equally damming and undervalue the right of woman to say no by presenting violence as acceptable.
The solution?
Undoubtedly, the problem of women’s objectification is ingrained in advertising and more specifically the media itself. It is the media’s responsibility to redress the consequences of sexual selling. Even if receivers can recognise the harmful effects of the sexual campaigns, they cannot on their own eradicate the problem.
There is the issue of how much control and power the media has on us. It has the authority to disperse sexual propaganda that is destructive to women and profitable for men. It is clear then that it’s part of the wider problem of society’s inequality between men and women and that the advertising industry plays a part in re-shifting this balance.
