TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2009
As one can see from these advertisements, most designers are not shy when it comes to advertisements. Designers start trends by posting amateur, underage models on huge billboards in Times Square. Yet these provocative images of models have caused controversy for ages. Some debate whether today is known as the generation of “nudity fashion” or if it crosses into pornography.
The use of controversial images in advertising can enhance a designer’s reputation and make his or her products more appealing in the eyes of young consumers. Advertising is essentially a means of attracting attention, and fashion advertising is notorious for its exploitative use of young men and women. Almost all ads focus on sex to sell products. The fashion industry has long been the first to create controversy when it comes to fashion and the media.
SEX SELLS. The overused cliché is actually proven true of print ads. Sexual images in print ads increases purchases bought by men but does the opposite for women. As designers continue to push the patience of consumers, some of the ending products turn out to be exploitive and degrading (mostly towards women). None of the advertisements on this page are exactly pro-women. Most of them are portrayed as “sex objects”. Depending on the media type, I think it’s tasteless when sexual ads are targeted at women. Using sex in print ads decreases effectiveness for women. I think the manner in which sex is portrayed on the ad is what makes men and women fed up. Then again, a friend I spoke with said she loves controversial fashion ads because she finds them appealing to look at. She even said how she becomes so wrapped up in the picture that she does not even notice what product the campaign is for. Likewise, I get caught up in these images and find them appealing. Sex, nudity, and fashion are everywhere. People talk about those topics and see them everyday. They are not going anywhere soon. Ultimately, men and women respond differently to advertising. I think it depends on a person’s values, mood, and how the picture is portrayed. If a designer wants to market to a vast majority, he or she should ultimately try to understand the audience they are trying to appeal to.
The use of controversial images in advertising can enhance a designer’s reputation and make his or her products more appealing in the eyes of young consumers. Advertising is essentially a means of attracting attention, and fashion advertising is notorious for its exploitative use of young men and women. Almost all ads focus on sex to sell products. The fashion industry has long been the first to create controversy when it comes to fashion and the media.
SEX SELLS. The overused cliché is actually proven true of print ads. Sexual images in print ads increases purchases bought by men but does the opposite for women. As designers continue to push the patience of consumers, some of the ending products turn out to be exploitive and degrading (mostly towards women). None of the advertisements on this page are exactly pro-women. Most of them are portrayed as “sex objects”. Depending on the media type, I think it’s tasteless when sexual ads are targeted at women. Using sex in print ads decreases effectiveness for women. I think the manner in which sex is portrayed on the ad is what makes men and women fed up. Then again, a friend I spoke with said she loves controversial fashion ads because she finds them appealing to look at. She even said how she becomes so wrapped up in the picture that she does not even notice what product the campaign is for. Likewise, I get caught up in these images and find them appealing. Sex, nudity, and fashion are everywhere. People talk about those topics and see them everyday. They are not going anywhere soon. Ultimately, men and women respond differently to advertising. I think it depends on a person’s values, mood, and how the picture is portrayed. If a designer wants to market to a vast majority, he or she should ultimately try to understand the audience they are trying to appeal to.
No comments:
Post a Comment