It's nice to think that in our age of supposed modern enlightenment that when it comes to gender issues, we basically [BLOCKED] what's acceptable and what isn't. Or so you would think. In the wonderful world of advertising, sex still sells above all - and anything deemed un-PC can be defended as being "edgy" or "artistic". Where's the line? You decide.
Don't get me wrong; I'm no prude. In fact, i love advertising that pushes people's buttons. I don't know that glamorizing rape is an especially productive thing to do, but a certain part of me has to hand out the kudos where they're due - and that includes advertisers who know how to call attention to their product.
That said, it would be refreshing if we could collectively get to a point where we were willing to try a little harder to put our products in the spotlight; yes, sex and scandal do get attention...but how obvious is that? Let's [BLOCKED] the top sexist themes in advertising, in the hopes that if we call them out, designers and marketing pros will start getting slightly more cerebral in their approaches to winning our dollars.
Rape Ah yes. Ya know, honestly, when you break down a picture like this, it's almost laughable; what the hell is with this group of super shiny dudes ganging up on this equally shiny female? And why does that make me want to buy clothes? This a good example of how a rape theme is "okay" when it merely "suggests" the idea of rape.
Loose Women
Okay, I could call them something else, but "loose women" just sounds classy. Here's the thing about ads that feature girls who really, really look like they want to do...things...to...you: I think it's great. Sure, maybe it objectifies women but (and I say this as a woman, and as one who does not want to start a big post-feminist debate here) any girl who has ever batted her eyelashes to get out of a speeding ticket is essentially doing the same thing. Using what your mama gave ya to get what you want (in this girl's case, selling a product) isn't sexist in my eyes - it's resourceful.
You know...
There's no graceful way to describe what this image is clearly meant to evoke in a dude's mind. There's a reason why so many ads feature women with liquid of some kind on them. And okay, I'll go ahead and call trend demeaning...see? It really is a matter of where your personal boundaries lie.
It's different for everyone. Which is why ads like these make people talk - it's a debate you can have on so many levels, and with so many people. So maybe that's really the reason why sexually charged advertising is so affective; it's not because you're buying the sexual message. It's because you end up talking about whether or not it's okay. And as we all know, any press is good press.
