Sexual Overtone in Advertisement

Summary

Studies in advertisements and consumers’ reaction to advertisements has shown great differences in what appeals to different sexes. Early 1900s advertisements marketing perfume used a technique that manipulates women’s desire to catch the eye of an eligible male. Research, however, showed that the sexual promises promoted in ads led to disappointment casing lack of customer retention. Marketers moved away from the “get your man” approach to depict women as professional equals in their advertisements. This had a direct effect of male sexual security. Studies found that although most males bought sedans, convertibles displayed in the viewing rooms attracted more men because they viewed the idea of a convertible as a mistress. Regardless they would purchase the sedan, but seeing the convertible fed men’s desire to be young and adventurous. Women progressively infringed on men’s views of role separation between the sexes. This shows the psychological effects of deeper meanings in marketing. Studies were also done to find the connection between oral fixations and relaxing effects. Research found that smoking, eating, drinking milk, chewing gum and other oral activities relieved stress because of the direct relation to childhood breastfeeding. Breastfeeding give comfort to an infant, similarly smoking, eating, drinking and chewing gum relieve stress in adults.

Outside Example

When I was searching for outdated advertisements for the project I came across advertisements that would not be allowed in todays time. Many of the advertisements depicted a woman as an object that belongs to a male. The women were often serving their husbands dinner or bringing them a beverage. Even in advertisements directed towards women was aimed to please the husband. In the advertisement below, it shows a woman on Christmas morning receiving a Hoover vacuum as if this is exactly what a wife would want for Christmas when, in fact, it is the male who wants the woman to use the vacuum to clean the house. When I first saw these advertisements I believed them to be a joke, but apparently these are real vintage print ads.

Connection

The reading connects to the example because it addressed the underlying views of men and women when it came to early marketing. Clearly, the marketing strategies of the early 1900s had a misogynistic view. When marketing campaigns began to appeal to women in a way that did not benefit men, men’s masculinity began to be questioned. This resulted in more advertisements appealing to the rugged man, although majority of men were suburban husbands. It connected them back to that sense of dominance and masculine power. I can see the immense progress in marketing strategies when I see an advertisement such as the one above.