Sex Sells

"I have a theory that the best ads come from personal experience. Some of the good ones I have done have really come out of the real experience of my life, and somehow this has come over as true, valid and persuasive. "-David Ogilvy

Sexuality is a feeling that everyone experiences. It is the basic source of reproduction on this planet. A basic human need. And that is why, it's been used in advertisements on such a large scale, and some of the most successful campaigns thrive on sexual appeal.

Let us focus on two popular biscuit brands  Sunfeast Dream Cream biscuits and Parle Hide n Seek Milano . Sunfeast uses Shahrukh Khan to endorse their biscuits whereas Milano has Hrithik Roshan as their band ambassador. Sunfeast projects their biscuits as a product for the kids, something which a child would rather enjoy having. Whereas Milano projects their brand as a biscuit that even adults enjoy and enjoy it as much as they enjoy sexuality. The advertisements of the above two brands, give a completely different perspective to a biscuit. The use of sexual appeal is what that leads to this difference.






Today, advertisements have surrounded our lives and desperately compete for our attention. It is this competition which makes advertisers  go to any extent to make a long lasting impression of their advertisements,and make sure that the customers buy the product. Everywhere we look, we are inevitably drawn to the images of scantily clad  attractive men & women who are somehow supposed to motivate us to buy a product.

Advertisements use a certain appeal, for example, Mortein, Good Knight ads use fear appeal, to scare you into buying your products lest you get dengue or malaria. Insurance ads use emotional appeal, some advertisements, like Bingo Chips, use humour, while some are simply informative. The last decade has seen an increase in urban population, globalization and most importantly a change in the mindset of people.Which is the reason why more and more ads are using sexual appeal lately.

Sexual appeal can increase the effectiveness of an ad or commercial because it attracts the customer's attention. It's human nature to be curious about SEX. A pair of long legs on a billboard is more likely to catch (and hold) a guy's attention than a puppy, regardless of how cute it may be. Even women are drawn to them, perhaps with the desire of having goddess-like legs.
But, the question is , is this strategy effective? And if yes, WHY is it effective?



Be it the Axe or WildStone Deodorant ads (with 1000 girls running in a bikini), Biscuits and Cookies (Milano, Britannia Bourbon), or the famous Slice Aamasutra campaign. While these products are not even remotely related to sex, the campaigns have been highly successful.

An ad must have stopping power, pulling power and locking power. Basically, attractive enough for customers to grab their attention and retain it. A strong sex appeal can have all these three elements to lure consumers. It not only grabs the attention of customers, but makes them watch it again and again, discuss it with their peers, and if the advertisement is good enough, it spreads online virally.

These advertisements grab our attention; and sometimes, make us laugh at jokes that are not even funny. 
From a marketing perspective, sexual appeal maybe advantageous for the simple reason that they prey on basic biological instincts and thus, an incredible motivational factor, which is a desirable attribute to break through clutter. Advertisements that attract attention have the increased likelihood to affect persuasion, especially in a saturated media environment typified by passive viewing exposure.

It is a powerful instinctive attraction that will take our focus from anything else we may be doing. Overly controversial images, even if they are taken off of the air, will stir up discussions about the ad and the product associated with it. Those discussions being had, the name of the product stays in the minds of consumers longer. AXE is the perfect example.
It is for these reasons that 7Up sales shot up by 25% after the Mallika Sherawat Curvy Bottle Campaign. And, increase in the sale of Slice compelled Maaza and Frooti  to launch competitive campaigns.


Sexual appeal in advertisements may be effective and fill the pockets of marketers; but it has a flip side to it as well. While studies have shown that overt sexual portrayals attract attention to an advertisement,  inappropriate and excessive use of sexual content can actually have a number of negative effects too.

Many campaigns are deemed to be offensive which leads to brand boycotts that affect sales and damage brand reputation. And with a country as diverse as ours, no ad campaign can suit every class and region of the country. These ads may also have negative effects on children's self-esteem, body image, and result in manipulation of their young minds into purchasing company products. Advertisements are leading to an unhealthy obsession with good looks and perfect bodies in our youth.
Also, sexual content may be eye-catching and entertaining, but it may not be communicative and might distract the viewer from the message. Simulation of the sexual act and sex jokes make viewers notice the ad and not the product.
Plus, stereotyping women is a tendency in the use of sex appeal in advertising, thereby distorting the social reality of women. Sex appeal, thus, becomes “men’s desperate attempt to make their advertising break through the clutter”.

Lastly, Implicit sex statements are enjoyable when served with a dose of humour, but when sex is explicit and has a violent component, its rejection is more likely across a wide set of customers, specially the outraged Indians.

There is no doubt that sex does sell. Attractive,charming, partially clad models do facilitate recognition of an advertisement. On the other hand, brand recall may not increase brand promotion, or sometimes, advertisement might overshadow the product.
To avoid that, the sexual content in advertising must be appropriate to the product category and have a proper underlying message.
The product should not be overshadowed by the campaign/ambassador. As marketers one 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.

Thus, Sex sells but only when it is in good taste.