Consumer’s response to sex in advertising
Sexual advertisements undeniably succeed in getting consumers’ attention because sex always evokes a hardwired emotional response. However, grabbing attention is just the first step; the real aim of a commercial is product selling. Do the viewers really appreciate the sexual information used in ads? Or in other words, does sex really help sell?
I feel that the effectiveness of “sex sell” depends on two main factors. One is how the product is relative to sex. Will the product bring sex-related benefit to the consumers? For example, will consumers be more sexually attractive or have better sex if they buy the product. These are the crucial questions that customers are going to think about when they make the purchasing decision.
Obviously, if the sexual content in advertising is appropriate to the product category and has a proper underlying message, it will help sells and build a brand reputation that will yield long-term results. Calvin Klein is an example who benefits from his sexual positioning strategies. Calvin Klein has successfully imbued his brand’s identity with sexuality. For over 30 years, sex in one form or another has been a mainstay in CK fragrance, fashion, underwear, and accessories ads. And here comes the gratifying results. In 2005, products with Calvin’s name generated at least $1 billion in annual revenue.1
The same is true for Victoria’s Secret. With its stable of supermodels clad only in panties and bras, the company has grown from the three boutiques in San Francisco to the most successful and recognizable intimates brand in the United States. Women who want to be associated with the sexually-sophisticated image of Victoria’s Secret, either for their own pleasure or for that of someone else, willingly pay for it.

However, using sexual content to sell roughly unrelated products may backfire. The viewers may feel cheated and talked down to. Let’s take Pepsi’s ad, which we have mentioned before as an example. Pepsi use a nude and perfect figure woman in its advertisement. But how coke is relative to sex? The nudity itself is not persuasive enough therefore advertisers try to justify it by adding a message:”Embrace nature, go raw”. However, consumers still feel dubious. Because common sense tells us that keeping drinking coke only brings us fat and health risks, rather than a perfect figure and an attractive image.
So we can get a conclusion that sex sells are more beneficial to sex-related products, while the abuse of sex appeal in unrelated industry will probably incur negative consequences.

The second factor of the effectiveness is the target consumers. As sex is the human nature regardless of gender, we can assume that sex in advertising have an effect on both sexes. However, the men’s and women’s sexual beliefs and motivations are starkly different. Marketers should exercise caution when they communicate to different genders.
Generally speaking, men have positive attitudes towards casual and recreational sex, whereas women value the emotional intimacy and commitment that can surround the sexual relationship.
Here is a negative example provided by COCA-Cola. In one of its TV ad, a “hero” man who is breaking up with his girlfriend at a roadside café is suddenly surrounded by pole dancers.
His dumped girlfriend acknowledges the man doesn’t want to be with just one woman, and then offers:”Just call me when you want to have fun. "2
A series of complaints contested that the advertisement degraded women and promoted casual sex for men.
Female customers felt offended by the message it suggested “men should have multiple partners and women should make themselves available for sex of “fun” whenever men want”.
Despite COCA-Cola’s argument that they just wanted to be humorous, the ad was finally forced to be discontinued. Indeed, the imprudent use in sex appeal did harm to COCA-Cola’s brand image.
In conclusion, the proper use of sex appeal can gain not only the consumers’ attention but also their money while the misuse sometimes can ruin the brand image.

1. http://sexinadvertising.com/Work/index.php 2. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/news/coca-cola-forced-to-can-ad-over-woman-available-for-sex/story-e6frf00r-1225708182337