Does sex appeal sell? The use of explicit sexual imagery has become a common marketing strategy for many organizations in the recent years. Companies have realized the power of this strategy in marketing products and services. Today, sex appeal is more prominent than ever before. There are several things that connect sex appeal marketing strategy to consumer behavior.
Using sexual appeal to promote a product or service is not a new concept. Over the last two decades, many organizations have been and are still experiencing effectiveness of sex appeal in marketing products and services. For instance, a study about marketing appeals in 1996 found that sex component is one of the strongest physiological means (Taflinger, 2012, p. 1). Biologically, it is the desire to get a mate of one’s choice.
In reference to Pelsmacker, Geuens & Bergh (2013), advertising and marketing research firms confirmed that sex appeal marketing strategy is one of the best techniques of communicating with target audiences (Pelsmacker, Geuens & Bergh, 2013, p. 211). There are many reasons that make sex appeal sell, or that make marketers turn to it when selling their products or services.
To start with, sex appeal helps companies grab attention of customers. These adverts attract both male and female customers. It grabs their attention by taking focus from other things, which they may be doing. Marketers know this. They understand that this appeal is more likely to make a product or service appealing in the mind of consumers, more than any other appeal.
A good example of sex appeal targeting men is the launch of Heineken in 2000. The company developed a promotional campaign in which it integrated sex appeal and managed to increase its sales by 13% within a short period of time (World Forum of Sociology, Pirani & Varga, 2010, p. 133).
Marketers also use sex appeal strategy in order to the images of the brand in the consumers’ minds (Heller, 2000, p. 142). After watching sexual and shocking advert, consumers are likely to recall the advert at all times especially when a need arises. They are likely to share information with their friends leading to wide information coverage. Sex appeal marketing strategy engages and entertains target audience, particularly when presenting fantasy elements. This causes them to buy marketers’ products and services.
Contrary to this, some people may argue that sexual appeal is not a decent form of advertising. For instance, religious conservatives view it as immodest, and feminists claim that it causes sexism. However, this is not the case. Sex appeal marketing strategy is only used to market products and services.
Those who perceive it negatively are in most cases guided by fallacies that do not exist. They may also be naïve in terms of marketing businesses. Many research studies indicate that businesses that use sex appeal marketing strategy are more likely to succeed in increasing their sales and profit than those that do not.
Despite the aforementioned counter argument, I am of the opinion that sex appeal sells. Most of today businesses, which integrate sex appeal marketing strategy, do better than those that use other forms of appeals. This marketing strategy should be adopted by businesses that intend on catching the attention of consumers. They should use it to promote their products and services.
The main purposes of sex appeal marketing strategy include stimulating, arousing, and gathering consumers’ attention towards products and services advertised by marketers. Marketers should use this strategy in accordance with law, by ensuring that they do not influence people to get involved in illegal activities such as pornography and violence among other things. They should instead use it for the purposes of service or product promotions, in satisfying customers’ needs profitably.
List of References
Heller, S 2000, Sex appeal: The art of allure in graphic and advertising design, Allworth Press, New York.
Pelsmacker, P, Geuens, M, & Bergh, J 2013, Marketing communications: A European perspective, 5th Ed, Pearson, London.
Taflinger, RF 2012 ‘You and me, babe: Sex and advertising’, Washington State University – Pullman, Washington. Web.
World Forum of Sociology, Pirani, BM, & Varga, I 2010, Acting bodies and social networks: A bridge between technology and working memory, University Press of America, Lanham.