Let the buying frenzy begin – it’s a seasonal thing. I like it because it stimulates the economy (the more stimulation the better, huh? And NO gentle reader, I’m not talking about sex – yet). When the economy gets stimulated it means I’m getting some presents. To me that’s the whole idea, or at least it should be…
To fuel the frenzy, advertising is thrown into the fire and in advertising you have sex (and not just at the Christmas party). But the funny thing is that sex or sex-appeal used in advertising only has very few entrances on the list of the top 100 most effective ads; I really thought it would have been a lot more, even dominating the list – but I was wrong. So we are not really buying sex, are we?
Sex, sexuality and sex-appeal are but a few of so many tools used in advertising to draw our interest to certain products, services and ideas, to entice our business, to make us pull out the plastic and cash. Advertising expenditure worldwide is running around $500 billion dollars where $300 billion is expended in the USA annually. And by the way, who’s paying for all this stuff? Sorry pal, you and I…
I never really understood the connection between a well-shaped female with semi exposed breasts and a set of sparkplugs. Never felt enticed to smoke cigarettes because the ad shows two good looking younger persons laughing through pearly white teeth, with her sitting slightly suggestive on a motorcycle, with his right hand resting on her thigh, cigarettes in hand. The young and good-looking dude, who didn’t feel like shaving that morning, topless and tan, is trying to mope me into using Armani Code. I don’t care much for “famous” people telling me what to use, that be diets, panty-liners or any other products and services. Taylor Swift will never convince me to buy loads of NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara – ever; it’s not going to happen.
The fact is that sex used in advertising rarely relates to the product, but more so to the emotional package sex comes with, the curiosity sex brings along – ha, you didn’t know that, did you? (I didn’t either…) But I’m still confused when she is suggestively holding that new cordless power-drill, smiling shyly, duh! So here you advertise a male oriented product, using a scantily clad woman to sell it. Don’t tell me that you think: “If I buy that drill maybe…” because that’s pathetic. But it’s not just male-oriented products or services that are offered by sex and sex-appeal. A vast quantity is geared towards women, the biggest buyer of the two genders. I wonder why we don’t feel offended by this sexism – but obviously we’re not, as the ad-industry is not letting up – nobody’s complaining so why should they stop?
Product placements in movies and on TV are very offensive to me. We all know it’s being done. When you can blatantly read the PEPSI on the can some actor or actress is drinking from, inside the BMW wearing a Nike top and a Rolex and so forth, I lose interest as I do not like to participate in undercover advertising when I’m trying to enjoy a movie; I don’t buy it. It really ticks me off, but then I take an ADVIL and all is well again.
The images in advertising includes “young, in excellent shape, perfect teeth and great smiles” just to mention a few. It’s not a whiny complaint, because I believe that we do NOT want advertising to reflect reality. We want to escape on some level; fantasize a bit. When we want reality, we’ll just look around us. Advertising is for the most eye-candy and I’m fine with that and mixed with a bit of sex, yeah, okay. But I’m still not buying it, though the power drill looks like a possibility, if only…
I am in awe of a lot of the advertising, the originality and the creative thoughts. I especially appreciate when humor is included, as humor shows humanity and tongue-in-cheek attitude. Toilet-paper is important, but it is hard to convince me to purchase such product with a technical and dry presentation; so make it fun, original and light. The only time I got involved with toilet paper was to see if Charmin delivered what they preached. They said: 400 sheets per roll; I counted only 394 – and I counted the roll twice just to be sure (yes, I have a rich and busy life). So this proves that we cannot fully believe everything they tell us (I took several ADVIL that day just because of that…) But wait, there’s more!
We are also exposed to horrible ads and commercials that make no sense at all. Even worse; what about the commercials where we are brainwashed to sing and hum and whistle their damn jingles? And what about: “Where’s the beef?” I hope the little old lady has found it by now.
I have no problem with the use of sex and sexuality in advertising; it’s just that I rarely see the connection between breasts, sparkplugs, suggestive positions involving power-tools, motor oil and race-cars. One of the legit uses of sex-appeal is in the Victoria Secret’s ads and commercials. They are selling sex and they do that so very well; I mean I’m not a woman (last I checked), but I can see how these ads and commercials can inspire consumers on both sides of that gender-thing. Sex does sell to some extend, but sparkplugs and motor-oil? Nah, I don’t buy it – do you? Now go join the frenzy – it’s the patriotic thing to do – really.
Until next Monday
TRUE BONUS STORY OF THE WEEK:
A young looking man walks into a liquor store, tells the clerk behind the counter that he has a gun and demands money. The clerk, not being stupid, hands over the cash. The young man says: “Since I’m here already, what about a bottle of whiskey?” The clerk says: “I can’t give you alcohol as you do not look like you are 21. I have to see some identification.” The young man pulls out his driver’s license and hands it to the clerk. “You are right, you are over 21…” and he hands the young man the whiskey. When the wannabe criminal gets home, the police are there to greet him, duh! (with handcuffs, I assume)…
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