International Advertising and the Use of the Sex Appeal: Acceptance

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INTERNATIONAL
ADVERTISING AND THE
USE OF THE SEX APPEAL:
ACCEPTANCE OF SEX
APPEAL IN CHINA
By
Katie
Hunt
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of Requirements of the
CSU Honors
Program
for
Honors
in the degree
of
Bachelor of Business Administration
in
Marketing,
Abbott Turner College of Business,
Columbus State University,
Columbus, Georgia.
Thesis Advisor:
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INTERNATIONAL
ADVERTISING
AND THE USE OF THE
SEX APPEAL:
ACCEPTANCE OF
SEX APPEAL IN
CHINA
By
Katie
Hunt
Sit*
Abbott Turner College of Business
Columbus
State University
Columbus, Georgia
Date: April 21, 2003
A
thesis
presented on a study of the use of the sex appeal in advertising
different cultures, specifically the United States
u
compared
to China.
among
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List
of Figures
iii
List
of Tables
iii
Acknowledgements
iv
Chapter
1:
Introduction
1
Chapter
2:
Sex Appeal in Advertising
2
What is Sex Appeal and Why Does
Chapter
to
3:
it
Work ?
2
How is Sex Appeal Used and Where Does it Work?
3
Negative Effects of Using Sex in Advertising
4
Cultural Differences between the
US and
China Relating
Gender Roles and Perceptions of Sexuality
Feminine versus Masculine
Traditional and
roles in China:
Modern
7
Modern Perceptions of Sexuality in China
Chapter
to the
4:
6
Cultural Differences between the
versus U.S
US and China
9
Relating
Use of Advertising
11
Legal Issues in Advertising
1
Advertising Media (TV, magazines, newspapers,
billboards)
13
in
Chapter
Current Acceptance and Effects of the Sex Appeals in
5:
17
Chinese Advertising
Chinese Acceptance of the Sex Appeals
17
Effects of the Sex Appeals in Current Chinese
Advertising
Chapter 6
:
19
Conclusion
21
22
References
IV
LIST
OF FIGURES
and "Nothing butt" advertisements
Figure
1:
Levi's
Figure
2:
Big Picture of Sex Appeal in Advertising
LIST
Table
I
:
12
22
OF TABLES
Nudity in U.S. Magazine Advertisements -1973 and 1994
14
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes
to express sincere appreciation to Dr.
Robin Snipes and
Dr. Rhea Ingram for their assistance in the preparation of this manuscript. In
addition, special thanks to Dr. Pingjun Jiang
whose
familiarity
with China was
helpful during the researching phase of this undertaking along with her well
developed diagram. Thanks also to Dr. Barbara Hunt for her valuable input.
VI
Ch ap
t
e r
1
INTRODUCTION
China
is
most populated country
the
over a billion people,
China has
it is
traditionally
an
been
attractive
a
communist government and
the
economy from
market that was
2002). China
is
come
due to
difficult to access
of
its
In 1978, China began changing
as the
a purchasing
second
largest
power parity
economy
in the
world
basis" (World Factbook,
a strong business partner with the U.S.;
to the U.S.
a population
planned system to a more market-oriented
economy. By 2001, "China stood
measured on
With
market to many companies. However,
strict regulations.
a centrally
after the U.S.,
in the world.
21% of China's
exports
and China makes up 8.9% of U.S. imports (World Factbook,
2002).
To influence
advertising
culture
on
Chinese consumers to buy more American products,
must be used. Most American companies
advertising strategy,
effectively in China. Will the
realize the
importance of
and many are concerned about how to advertise
same
advertising
well in China? In particular, will sex appeal
methods used
work?
in
America work
as
Ch ap
t
2
e r
SEX APPEAL IN ADVERTISING
What is
"It's just
a "Sex Appeal" and
becoming impossible
to get
individual messages because they're being
everywhere they look. Enter the naked
2000).
Why Does
it
Work?
consumers to pay attention to
bombarded by messages every
flesh. It
stops us.
We look"
We look because of the sex appeal, which is defined as the
day,
(Duke,
use of
"physical attractiveness or personal qualities that arouse others sexually"
(American Heritage Dictionary, 2000). Nudity causes arousal and gets our
attention.
Any
advertisement that stimulates people sexually
appeal. There are
many ways
revealing outfits to
to use sex appeals,
women moaning
due to
is
from models
feelings
using a sex
that are wearing
of pleasure.
A theory derived from Sigmund Freud attempts to explain why a sex
appeal attracts so
much
aggressive instincts
attention.
Freud
advertisement to their
own
would
behavior.
and functional drives when making
"shown
that sexual urges as well as
and drives were the primary determinants of behavior
2001). Therefore, the sex appeal
study has
felt
assist
people in relating an
Consumers can be motivated by symbolic
their
that two-thirds of
all
purchase decisions.
prime-time
More than one
TV shows present an
average of 5.2 scenes per hour that contain talk about sex" (Belch
2001, pg. 113).
(Rice,
& Belch,
How is Sex Appeal Used and Where Does it Work?
Advertising using a sex appeal usually uses a visual medium, since a sex
appeal
defined as the use
is
of. physical attractiveness
The most common media
arouse others sexually.
print ads in magazines, newspapers,
is
and
is
not acceptable
is
and
Another
Some
show one
women
have as
advertising
show
breasts but not
not both" (Duke, 2000).
breast,
much
will
to
work with any product.
do with
selling spirits as they
auto parts, but they long have been used to
perfume and shampoo
What
not clear even within product makers and within
advertisers will argue that sex will
"Scantily clad
selling
will
for sexual advertisements are
billboards, along with television.
market segments. "One magazine, for instance,
nipples.
or personal qualities that
hawk
everything from
to frozen dinners" (Chura, 2001).
works better when the sex appeal
do with
However, sex
relates to the product, as
in
with
fashion clothing or perfume. These products can be easily related to sex, and,
therefore, are
more
likely to
be associated with the
Herbal Essence shampoo continues
orgasmic
women washing their hair.
a series
ad.
For example,
Clairol's
of commercials with nearly
This series began in
1
995 and has been
quite successful for Clairol (Krol, 1996).
Sex can also be successfully used
print ad
showing buddies
featuring a sunbathing
in a strip bar
in selling alcohol.
and bachelor
woman reclining on a
party.
"Jim
Beam had
a
Skyy vodka had an ad
diving board and gazing
up into
a
man's crotch. Anheuser-Busch, known for having some of the best beer ads
in
the business, has one ad asserting, 'actually, size does matter'" (Chura, 2001).
Negative Effects of Using Sex in Advertising
Advertisements
like
the ones stated above
do
carry
some
risk in that they
can offend people. "Advertising appeals that have received the most criticism for
being in poor taste are those using sexual appeals and/or nudity" (Belch
2001, pg. 771). Additionally,
them
portraying
much
as
80%
some people
feel that
as sex objects. Considering that
they degrade
"women may
of all consumer purchases and are the
of all advertising," degrading
women
(Advertising, 2002). Therefore, this
& Belch,
women by
account for as
group for the majority
target
could be costly to a company's bottom
segment
is
line
an important one to most
marketers (Advertising, 2002).
An
especially provocative sex appeal
may
unintended audience. The audience (women
may not be
offended by the ads
in particular)
part of the product's target market (Chura, 2001). Also, ironically, a
sexually provocative picture
much
cause a negative backlash on an
might be too effective in that
attention towards the sex object that
it
it
may
attract so
obstructs processing and recall of
the ad's contents (Solomon, 2002). This suggests that advertisers should be
careful to
measure an
ad's ability to generate
attention-getting ability.
advertisers
would agree
objective for the ad.
An ad's
that
brand name
recall as well as its
ability to gain attention is critical,
brand name
recall is the
bottom-line
but most
minimum
Many
society.
factors influence the cultural values, lifestyles,
"The overwhelming amount of advertising and
media lead many
critics to
and transmitting
social values" (Belch
advertising
may
& Belch, 2001, pg. 775).
help to "teach" culture.
members of a
society
prevalence in the mass
argue that advertising plays a major role in influencing
mirror that reflects the culture in which
the
its
and behavior of a
may
Ji
In a sense,
and McNeal (2001) described
it is
embedded;
it
a channel through
as "a
which
learn about their culture" (pg. 79). Therefore,
can be argued that ads are part of culture.
it
Chapter
3
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE US AND CHINA
RELATING TO GENDER ROLES AND PERCEPTIONS OF
SEXUALITY
In America,
differently.
is
we
often hear "sex
sells,"
For example some French
critics
making sex boring" (Solomon, 2002,
culture that
is
more
but another culture
may
react
"complain the advertising industry
pg. 241).
Would
sex also
conservative, less self-serving, and looks
sell in a
more
to one's
"inner beauty," like that of China.
The perception one has of sexuality comes from
things,
two being gender and
roles can influence one's
In general,
different
of
feelings.
woman's perception of herself. This perception
chain begins with a
from many
a chain
it is
marital roles.
is
This
derived
Both gender and marital
view of sex.
believed that Chinese views
from those views
in the
US.
A
on marriage and sex
are quite
conventional Chinese belief "equates a
perfect marriage with personal self-worth and achievement" (Higgins 2002, pg.
77). Traditionally,
marriage was seen as a family business and was arranged by
the parents in accordance with the social hierarchy;
housebound, submissive, second-class
be bought and sold by
their
women were
citizens (Higgins, 2002).
husbands and
perceived as
Women could
fathers, similar to slaves (Higgins,
2002). Traditionally, divorce in China had to be sanctioned by the family and
the employer (Higgins, 2002, pg. 76). This
divorce; consequentiy, the divorce rate
Feminine versus Masculine
made
it
very difficult to get a
was extremely low.
roles in China: Traditional
Chinese marriage views have changed over time.
suggested that a
"new
urban young people
to
liberal attitude to sexual
who
all
show
greater individual
relationship
76).
own
among
marriage partners and
Modern views of marriage
in
China
freedom and choice and an increasingly equal
men and women.
between
researchers have
behavior has developed
expect to choose their
marry for love" (Higgins 2002, pg.
Many
and Modern
Although, marriage remains
and important event for most Chinese people, China's divorce
rates
solemn
a
have risen
considerably in recent years.
In a study including 37 countries, the single
societies
study,
was "mutual
most valued
attraction love" (Higgins 2002, pg. 76).
men wanted a mate who was
trait in all
same
In that
young, healthy, and beautiful, while
women
valued earning capacity, ambition, and hard work in a mate. "As a collectivist
society, the
awareness
Chinese emphasize interpersonal bonds and have a greater
of,
and responsiveness
individualist societies, such as the
and there
is
One
less
in
the needs of others than those
United
States,
man in
one of four ways:
women generally
and looking
is
valued
77).
are defined
their lives (Glasser, 1997, pg. 88).
single
from more
where independence
concern for others" (Higgins 2002, pg.
researcher found that
or absence of a
to,
by the presence
Women are portrayed
for a husband, housewife -mother,
spinster,
and widowed or divorced. Another researcher (Hoban, 2002) has
suggested that "single
women
have always been portrayed and depicted in the
Chinese mass culture in a negative and nasty way." This depiction has
"influenced the lives of many
untrue, and these images,
and the ideas are
just
some of them 1 50
same time was completely
years old, are
still
a lot easier to justify the life
"it's
being played out
of a single
woman
than in the past because people have more sexual freedom, they have
economic freedom, they can get
(Hoban, 2002).
It
appears that
than ever before in China.
to
at the
being recycled" (Hoban, 2002). According to one
researcher (Hoban, 2002),
now
women, and
men and
a
mortgage and they have high-powered jobs"
women are more on
One researcher
have the competence and
an equal path with
stated that, "today
ability to
women
men
feel equal
compete with men" (SaywelL
1998, pg. 40).
One
Chinese editor, Chen Xiaochuan,
exists in the
News, 1998,
feels that
media regarding gender roles" (Woman's International Network
pg. 57). It
seems
as
though only female models are used in the
advertisements for washing machines and detergent.
society?
reflective
Do men do washing and cooking at home?
of
injustice to
"a misleading condition
society, they are displaying
men" (Woman's
this truly reflect
If the ads are
"both prejudice against
International
In this receptive and vivid world,
Does
pg. 57).
roles are diverse, "yet the
media always ask the same question to successful women:
8
truly
women and
Network News, 1998,
women's
not
If
you have
to choose
between your career and
International
family,
what
Network News, 1998,
be your decision" (Woman's
pg. 57)?
asked of successful men. Therefore,
men
will
The question
is
rarely, if ever,
can be concluded that society believes
it
are capable of being simultaneously successful with their careers
families, while
illustrated
"women
women
when,
woman
portrayed in ads
are only capable of achieving one. This conclusion
is
as a female scholar in Jiangxi Social Science Institute wrote,
in ads play
oriented, or
and
-
one of three
roles
-
woman
as cleaner,
as sex object (Advertising, 2002).
whether targeted
at
men
or
women
woman
Too
-
often
in sexist,
as career-
women
are
demeaning or
stereotyped ways (Advertising, 2002).
Modern Perceptions
Views on sex can vary
a lot
of Sexuality in China versus U.S.
from culture
to culture
and time period to
time period. Traditionally, China was very reserved about sex; "for married
couples to
make
love
more than once
a
week was regarded
as
an unhelpful
diversion of energy" (Beck, 1999, pg. 585). But, as one researcher pointed out,
"women
are starting to reject their traditional role as 'asexual' beings or passive
sexual objects at the
mere disposal of men. They tend to be more
(Beck, 1999, pg. 585).
Due
to this increase in activity, there
emphasis on the value of quality of an individual's sex
The
increase in sexual activity
and
quality
life
is
a
active in sex"
new found
(Beck, 1999, pg. 585).
of sex has spurred new shops in
China named "health supply" or "medical equipment" centers. These centers
sell
unique assortments of condoms and lubricants, along with various sex toys
(The Economist, 1997). The loosened attitudes toward love and sex of Chinese
youth keep such stores in business. However, "older generations see sexual
freedom
as a threat to social stability" (Javin, 1991).
generations have set rules that
make having
sex in a college dormitory possibly
resulting in expulsion (Higgins, 2002, pg. 77).
that marketers
commonly
For example, the older
These
attitudes are reminders
must be aware of the differences within
called generation gaps.
10
a culture
due to what
is
Ch ap
4
e r
t
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE US AND CHINA
RELATING TO THE USE OF ADVERTISING
Legal Issues in Advertising
Long considered
a "corrupt capitalist practice",
China
advertising in 1979 (Glasser, 1997, pg. 86). Since China
market, companies worldwide were interested in
profits.
how
was such
World Conference on
time for governments and others to
exploiting
women and
make
the
a large
to advertise to a
country that was restricted for so long. Just fifteen years
the U.N.
permitted
to tap in to the potential
Companies were concerned about the best way
document from
first
later,
the final
Women in Beijing stated,
"it's
media straighten up and stop
stop pornography" (Hernandez, 1995, pg. 22).
According to Dana Bullen, Executive Director of the World Press Freedom
Committee,
this
suggestion was intimidating to advertisers because "in a
country where a free press does not
on
a
much more
The United
really exist, suggestions
by government take
coercive meaning" (Hernandez, 1995, pg. 23).
States did not
however, the Women's Rights
have the
legal restrictions like that
Movement in
the 1970's
of China;
and 80s did
affect the
advertising industry. For example, in 1971, Levi-Strauss "published an
advertising poster depicting firm, curvaceous,
and naked female buttocks with
the outline of the company's trademark double-stitched pocket
right
cheek and adorned with the Levi's logo"
11
drawn on the
(Heller, 1999, pg. 16). This
ad
was displayed
at the Victoria
and Albert
Museum
in
London with
the caption
"the sexual liberation of the late 1960's and early 1970's and a period
denim
were synonymous with youth and rebellion." The caption goes on
jeans
by the 1980's, due to the growth of the women's liberation
to state that
movement,
when
this
imagery was no longer acceptable. Levi's turned to other
marketing strategies (Heller, 1999, pg.
16).
In the Fall/Winter 1998 issue of
Sportswear Consumer, Pure Playaz used the same motif Levi's had used close
to three decades earlier (Heller, 1999, pg. 16). Pure Playaz's headline for the ad
is
a
"Nothing
butt..,"
naked cheek
Figure
1:
with a similar double-stitched pocket and the "PP" logo on
(Heller, 1999, pg. 16).
Levi's
The ads
are
shown below.
and "Nothing butt..." advertisements
12
Advertising Media (TV, magazines, newspapers, billboards)
Advertising uses
of the sex appeal are
many mediums;
television,
the
most
common mediums
for the use
The
magazines, newspapers, and billboards.
highest percentage of media advertising expenditures in the United States
print,
& Tjernlund,
holding 58 percent (Wiles, Wiles,
is
1996). Print advertising
includes magazines, newspapers, and billboards.
Two
studies
advertising,
were conducted concerning the values of American
one study
study both times for
and
in
1973 and one in 1994. Magazines were the
many
of the models
a strong visual impression
& Tjernlund,
1996).
Both
studies used
which images of people could
issue
easily
all
be
quality, lasting
images
in their advertising (Wiles, Wiles,
ads of one-half page or
identified; ads
more
in
were taken from one
of each magazine from February/ March editions of 1973 and 1994. Even
though the same ad was published
was counted
both
They provide high
reasons.
medium of
as a qualifying ad.
studies, the female
to sell products.
in
Here
more than one magazine, each appearance
are
body was used
The study conducted
some of the
results
of the
to a greater extent than the male
in 1973,
to 4 percent for
men. However, the study
in
women
1994 showed
a
In
body
found that 18 percent of ads
which the body could be distinguished show nude or half-nude
compared
studies.
in
as
much
lower percentage of nude or half-nude models (over the age of 16) by U.S.
advertisers than
of U.S.
20 years ago. The
women were
results
from 1994 ads reveal only
4.2 percent
portrayed as half-nude and 1.7 percent were nude, as
13
compared
to 1.9 percent half-nude
and no nude males. Both
could be biased toward greater levels of undress by
most of the magazines used
in this study target
nature, such as bath products,
may
of results
models because
women. Products of a personal
partially
dressed models and thus
increase the proportions in these studies. Percentages of the magazine ads
from both
in
sometimes use
women
sets
Table
studies with
The
I.
nude or half nude
women
and
men
are presented below,
nudity in the magazine ads in 1973 reflects the "sexual
and
liberation of the late 1960's
early 1970's",
whereas the limited nudity in the
1994 ads could be an effect of the Women's Liberation Movement
(Heller,
1999, pg. 16).
Table
I
Nudity
in
U.S Magazine Advertisements -1973 and 1994
.
Year of Study
Total
% of nude or half
nude
Total
% of nude or half
women
nude men
1973
18
4
1994
5.9
1.9
The
table
above represents two studies conducted to find the percentages
men and women in magazine advertisements (Wiles,
of half nude or nude
Wiles,
& Tjernlund,
1
996).
While the above study demonstrated
advertising, a
a decrease in the
number of nude
few current advertisements are being labeled "obscene." Mr.
Allison, the publisher
of the Dallas
70,000 copies of the September
lifestyle
magazine named D, insisted that
D be destroyed due to two advertisements that
were, as he said, "obscene" (Nordlinger, 2000).
The magazines were
route to newsstands, but Mr. Allison was adamant that
taken to a recycling center.
"One of the
all
ads in question
14
is
already en
70,000 copies be
a
Gucci ad featuring
a
woman on
her knees, legs parted, tugging at her very short dress so as to
Though we cannot
suggest that something naughty has just happened.
face of the
man
to see her.
The image encourages us
standing near her,
we have no
trouble noticing that he
see the
happy
is
to participate in the salaciousness of the
scene by imagining what came before" (Nordlinger, 2000). According to Mr.
Allison,
"The women who work
on the
received notes, pats
my office were
back... (members
talked to in years," stopped
him
San Francisco magazine offer
was made without
in
of the community)
The
to express their support.
praise, "It
self-interest.
uniformly grateful. I've
I
was an expensive
admire someone with so
whom I
haven't
publisher from
decision.
much
One
that
courage of his
convictions" (Nordlinger, 2000).
Procter and
Gamble
is
also
concerned with the sex
and the
in advertising
companies they associate with. The company has formed a "sex task force" to
examine
cover
their policy
lines
(Kerwin
spent in magazines
especially for
its
toward sexually
& Neff, 2000).
last
Cover
year
magazine
Approximately
articles
75%
and magazine
of the money
P&G
was placed on women's fashion and beauty
Girl, Oil
notably shifted focus from
explicit
tides,
of Olay and Pantene brands, which have
TV to magazines.
In
fact,
P&G's magazine
spending was up 15.8% to $45 million in the two months ending Nov. 30,
according to Competitive Media Reporting.
to remain
anonymous,
what's happening
A magazine
said the sex appeal in advertising
on TV, where programs such
15
as
executive,
is
who
asked
consistent with
HBO's "Sex
in the City"
and
Fox's "Ally McBeal" have set
talk.
new
standards of acceptability for frank sexual
"Advertisers have to be realistic about what appeals to this demographic"
(Kerwin
& Neff, 2000).
Concerning TV,
P&G traditionally has steered clear of
programs with controversial sexual content, such
"Last year,
as
NBC's
"NYPD
Blue."
P&G joined other advertisers, such as Johnson Sr. Johnson, in
launching Family Programming Awards to recognize 'family friendly'
programming" (Kerwin
The Wall
advertisements
& Neff, 2000).
Street Journal
it
will print.
is
a
company
The Journal
that
is
being selective with which
rejected an advertisement
promoting
the recent Victoria's Secret Wall Street cyber-fashion show, because the ad,
featuring Tyra Banks,
was
a bit too revealing (Noack, 1999). Victoria Secret
submitted a more conservative ad featuring another model and the Journal ran
it.
Other newspapers were more than willing to run the ad with Tyra Banks.
The ad
also appeared in The
New
York Times and USA. Today (Noack, 1999).
16
Chapter
5
CURRENT ACCEPTANCE AND EFFECTS OF THE SEX APPEALS
IN CHINESE ADVERTISING
Chinese Acceptance of the Sex Appeals
In Europe, the sex appeal, specifically nudity,
advertising campaigns.
direction (Duke, 2000).
direction;
US
is
used to
advertising campaigns are progressing in that
The
U.S.
is
same
not the only country moving in that
some Chinese advertisements use sex
appeals. In a study using a
sample of 1,000 out of more than 5,000 specimens from 10
Beijing, Shanghai,
a great extent in
TV stations in
Guangzhou, Shenyang and Lanzhou, one-third of TV
advertisements exhibited sex discrirnination (Liming, 1998, pg. 21).
The
findings were mainly manifested by misusing images of women to solicit
customers and promoting male supremacy which could be attributed to
advertising campaigns using a sex appeal.
Advertising
is
not only used to
sell
goods;
it
communicates an image of a
brand or company. Ads offer visualizations of individual identity as well
as a
sense of belonging to certain groups, cultures, and lifestyles (Johansson, 1999,
pg. 377). Advertisers
they hope will
are
more
sell
a result
choose images already present
in the culture to create ads
products. Their choices of images of women in the media
of social creation than the product of media reflection or
distortion (Glasser, 1997, pg. 87).
17
Chinese models in ads express shyness and subordination through then-
body language and
girls
made
are often portrayed in a childish way,
(Johansson, 1999, pg. 379). In comparison, Caucasian
to act like litde
women
are not
portrayed as subordinate. They hold their bodies erect and their heads high.
They look powerful,
self-confident,
women,
ads with Caucasian and Asian
sets
of female images: the Asian
the Caucasian
women
take
on
satisfied
with themselves.
respectively, present
women
are
common
women
together with
in ads with Caucasian
To sum
up,
two contradictory
made subordinate and
certain 'masculine' qualities.
doing things with men. Portraying
Asian models but more
and
Here
men is
women
childish
women
and
are
rare in ads with
(Johansson,
1999, pg. 380).
Sex appeals are used
ad shows a Caucasian
in
Chinese advertising. For example, a water heater
woman wearing only
a short, translucent top,
apparendy
ripped to pieces. Taken from the back in semi-profile, the picture leaves her
naked buttocks almost
comes
flushing
fully revealed. Just in front
jet
up from the ground. The woman's head hangs back
great passion, while her eyes are closed
printed above the
in the
of her, a strong
house there
woman reads
is
happiness'
of water
as if in
and her mouth wide open. The caption
'With Qianfeng ("vanguard", the brand name)
(jia
you qianfeng
le zai
qizhong) (Johansson,
1999, pg. 381).
When young Chinese women were
women
in
asked
why
so
many
them, the response was they are beautiful. Chinese
ads had Caucasian
women
felt
that
Caucasian
women
ago Chinese
women
are sexier than them.
women had
"have
all
They explained
that they think long
an inner beauty no one could match, but
now white
the charms of sex and love" (Johansson, 1999, pg. 381).
Western female body
is
made
into a stereotype of strength, sexuality,
"The
and
promiscuity that can be consumed and cannibalized without any fear of losing
belief in the traditional virtues of Chinese
women"
(Johansson, 1999, pg. 382).
Effects of the Sex Appeals in Current Chinese Advertising
Even with
promoted by
China's patriarchal tradition, the notion of gender equality
the Chinese
Communist
Party was put to the test in cooperation
with the extensive changes and changing conceptions of the role of mass media
(Glasser, 1997, pg. 87).
Gender ideology
them
Gender
socializes
equality in
women
to
China
assume
is still
a
work
in progress.
a subject position that
makes
oblivious to the fact that they are exploited as sex objects or cheap labor
(Glasser, 1997, pg. 87). This raises heat to the questions: are
social structure or reflections
reinforcers of the status
American
reflectors
of
quo
of it, and are media agents of social change or
(Glasser, 1997, pg. 85)?
theorists challenge the notion that the
society.
media molders of
They point out "the
active role
media are passive
media and the media
producers play in the creation and recreation of the social roles of women"
(Glasser, 1997, pg. 87).
Symbolic representations are made of American
19
society,
but not
beautiful, but a
literal portrayals.
It is felt
that the
American
moral threat (Johansson, 1999, pg. 384).
20
woman
is
Chapter
6
CONCLUSION
A sex appeal is used in advertising for three main purposes:
gain attention, and to assist brand
many
factors that should
name
recall.
As shown
to arouse, to
in Figure 2, there are
be considered when developing an ad with sex appeal.
Within each factor there are aspects that should be considered. Such
as,
when
considering cultural influence, gender roles and perceptions of sexuality are vital
considerations.
Perceptions can be very different depending on the culture.
American
culture reflects equality
culture reflects a
Caucasian
growing
women
increases in China
used
between
equality
men and women. Modern
between
men and women.
liberation
comes
to a peak, Asian
in ads with a sex appeal. Since the sex appeal
method
is
Chinese
Currently,
are used in Chinese ads that use a sex appeal.
and sexual
Modern
As
equality
models may be
not always
accepted, advertisers should look for other strategies to gain attention, and
brand name
recall.
Regardless of the
method being
for international marketing campaigns.
21
used, pretesting
is
essential
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