I think that in an age where the market is constantly changing and where businesses are forced to alter and adapt their strategy in order to stay current and therefore competitive, companies may have to take risks and do something different in order to secure sales. I, myself am definitely guilty of being attracted to ad campaigns that have taken risks by using sexual imagery – whether this be David Beckham’s H&M campaign or Lara Stone half naked, oiled up in a Calvin Klein Jeans Campaign.
American Apparel
American Apparel is probably one of the more famous of brands that evidently uses sexual images in order to entice us; pushing boundaries when it comes to their advertising campaigns. The company has even been scrutinised for using young girls to pose in pornographic style photos in order to sell their clothes. One interesting point is AA have always been known for not necessarily using models but using ‘real people’ to showcase their clothes, whether these are customers or staff. One argument may be that the brand doesn’t necessarily stand out for being overly sexual, but because they use these ‘real models’ instead of photo shopped celebrities to pose in their clothes. Furthermore, although the brand uses young adults in their ad campaigns, these girls are the target audience so surely this is okay? How is this suggestive advert any more offensive than the Lara Stone advert above?
Surely an unnecessary example of using sex to sell ham? This campaign uses bare bottoms to elaborate the fact their ham is ‘oh so natural’. It’s a funny advert maybe and certainly gets people talking (is this the whole point) but in this case I’m not sure it works. See video here - http://vimeo.com/43245293
Jack Wills
Some people may say Jack Wills is aimed at young adults (I know when I was at school, girls as young as 10 were cottoning on to the brand – maybe due to having an older sister perhaps?) Do you think these promiscuous models should be wearing more clothes? Does this catalogue really pose a ‘risk’ to young adults or do you think posing topless is a little unnecessary? I personally think they are trying to depict a ‘fun and occasionally flirtatious girl;’ however it’s hard to tell how I’d feel opening this advert up as a young teenager. ..
YSL Opium Advert
When I think of YSL, I think of a sexual and powerful woman so I wasn’t surprised to come across this advert when doing my research. This is however a completely naked Sophie Dahl (she must have been paid a lot!) and consequently attracts an abundance of attention. There were 948 complaints following this perfume advert and so it is said to be the eighth most complained about advert. (Telegraph.com, 2012) I guess I can see where people are coming from; however this image has definitely contributed to how I feel about the iconic and sexual brand and so I’m sure it didn’t damage their reputation too much.
By Amelia Sneezum