Gone are the days when television was black and white and advertisement appealed to children. With the advancement of technology, everything about television has changed; especially the advertisements, they are alluring and fascinating, with a mystical overture—a morsel of truth in them.
Like myths advertisements take one into a surreal place, what is said is far from what it does. It entices the viewer with unrealistic promises. Some audience, unfortunately are gullible, unaware that they are succumbing to a dream. People are basically self-indulgent and that is how they become prey to narcissism. This is an age of “me, me;” the truth is more often than not, like Narcissus, most people court themselves. Of course, they are selfish that they are unable to halt their spiral into the mythical perception of self-love.
They become so steep in their disposition; they will do anything to continue the love affair. They crave the perfect bodies ignorant of the fact that most of these photos are touched up in many places to produce the best body; the end result, a mythical illusion. Advertisers are tuned into the physiology of their viewers and know just how to work them. They are fully aware that most people are discontented with what they see in the mirror; they know the faces in the mirror yearn for perfection. They know that people want the “narcissus effect,” to fall in love with themselves. and so they give them an unrealistic association. The goal of advertisers is to sell their products, and gullible viewers will always support them. In their book, Jacobsen and Mazur say: “Sexual discontent fuels the engine of the consumer. The ideal bodies presented in the ads invite comparison to themselves and our mates, and in the likely event that the comparison is unfavorable to us, the ads suggest we attain the ideal by buying another” (product) (77). Brent Baskin in his article on Academic Library also agrees that sexual advertisement sells products. He says: “Advertisers want people to feel dissatisfied with our current appearances, so they will be more inclined to purchase their products that offer improvements” (Academic Library, 1996)., .
No matter how much society protest, sex sells. If the only advertisements for Porsche or Jaguar were film with middle age, gray hair women, without doubt, the sale of these cars would decrease drastically. Why? These women do not represent speed, beauty, or prestige. The lesson that an advertisement like that would teach, stability and wisdom; would be lost on these men. Society has taught men that the smooth skin, flawless make-up, and pearly white teeth, are the cause of the adrenalin rush. These are the women they will want for wives or girlfriends. More often than not, this type of beauty is superficial, however, men and even most women who compare themselves with these models, are not concern whether or not the beauty goes beneath the skin..
In her essay on Serendip, Heather Price says that “graphic artists have become the Picasso’s of this technological age; splicing and stretching, they can turn any ordinary woman into a goddess” ( 1 ). She continues to say they do this by appealing to the biological instincts. Women are displayed in a false state of arousal. Of course men fall right into this trap, this is the expected result, they do not know all the fixing that are added to these women. Aroused women are studied, they “add extra curves and shadows to a woman's breasts and make her lips darker and fuller. Then they enlarge her pupils (another sign of sexual arousal), and lighten the whites of her eyes (because why would her blood be there if it had more important places to be?). Also, in about 65% of all print ads, women are shown with open mouths” (1,2).
Women are taught at an early age to be attractive, girls are entering beauty pageants at age four. Little girls who should be playing with dolls are being taught how to walk, how to play to win. Little girls are parading around as if they are starched with more hair spray in their hair than old women; soon these little girls grow up and they learn to sell what they have been taught.
Although they will never admit it, in a lesser degree, men are as vain as women. Do advertisements by men sell? Just like women, they are sex symbols. Narcissistic men will fall prey ro these advertisements; they want their bodies; they want the women who are hanging on these men’s arms. And yes, they catch the women again; they want their husband and their boy-friends to look like these “hunks”. In Journal of Legal Ethics, Jessica Blair conducted a study on ethics in advertisements, she concluded that: “sexual appeals are used often in advertising. Sex does catch people's attention in advertisements, but usually without much brand recognition. Women have been the primary focus in sexual advertising in the past and present, but men are starting to be used more often as the sex object in advertisements” (2008).
Some of the sexiest advertisements are those done with perfume and cologne. Everyone wants to smell good; nonetheless, one does not get super-powers by smelling good. More than any other products, perfume are most sensual. Most everyone will say that the scent of a nice smelling fragrant enhances arousal. Perfume advertisements have some of the shortest run, before they can be analyzed, they are off the screen, and that sensual image and the name of the perfume is left with the viewer. Not only is the sexual attraction present, the model is usually well known. Perfumes like Opium, Design, Forever, Samsara and Narcise are particularly named to attract buyers, having a popular woman advertising, it, is most cunning. Opium suggests strength, a long lasting scent, Design, “I am out to get you,” Forever, explains itself, Narcise as well as Samsara are obviously named for theirs mystic counterpart.
People’s basic instinct is selfish, advertisers know this, consequently, they will continue to entice viewers with the “illusive dream.” Until viewers awake from their drunken stupor, and realize that their expedition for the “golden fleece” is unattainable, they will never understand that the “pot of gold” that seems only a grasp away is really just a fantasy.
Work Cited
Baskin, Brett. “Sex in Advertising..” . Academic Library.28 March, 2012.
<www.academic.library.com/view/Social /#29Issue/3944.HML>
Blair, Jessica Dawn.. “Ethics in Advertisements. ? Sex sells, but should it?’ Journal of aLegal Ethics and Regulatory Issues. (2008, Jan - July) Print
Jacobsen, Michael F., Mazur, Laurie Anne. Marketing Madness: Servival Guide for
Consumers Society. Sexism and Sexuality in Advertisements.” CO. Westview Press.
Print
Price, Heather. “Sex and Advertisement: An Organic Experience.”.Seendip
South Carolina Department of Mental
