Another clever advertisement

After doing my blog about the ad campaign using a water dress, I remembered I had stashed away two Sylvania lighting catalogues my husband had in his possession. He used to be in the lighting industry in the UK many years ago and despite these catalogues being approximately 15 years old now, the creative and unusual concept has not dated.

With my teaching background in Graphic Design, I am highly attuned to unusual designs in advertising and these are fabulous.

It is a well known fact that sex sells in advertising. When done in a subtle way, I cannot understand why it is so frowned upon by a percentage within the community holding an overzealous belief that women are being exploited in ads such as these.

As Mark Levit points out in Ezine Articles:

Sex appeal can increase the effectiveness of an ad or commercial because it attracts the customer’s attention.

Sex in advertising has stirred controversy for many years, an advertiser must be careful when incorporating it in a campaign. Great advertisers consider not only the attention-getting power of an advertisement or commercial, but also what kind of emotional response it provokes in customers. Studies show that the attractiveness of the endorsing model provokes positive responses. Nudity and graphic erotic content, while still increasing consumer’s attention, doesn’t really generate positive feelings among viewers. In other words, advertisers must be careful to avoid the “cheap shot,” which may negatively affect a brand’s image.

To avoid that, the sexual content in advertising must be appropriate to the product category and have a proper underlying message.

Sex sells, yes, but only when used “in good taste.” As marketers we must think not only in getting customers’ attention for the short term, but also in building a brand reputation that will yield long-term results.

As far as I am concerned, the female body is a beautiful thing and deserves to be acknowledged and appreciated, particularly when done “in good taste”.

Popularity: 1% [?]