effects of sexual portrayals

Advertisers use sexuality in the form of nudity, sexual imagery and innuendo as an advertising tool for a wide variety of products ranging from personal care to industrial machinery. The use of sexual appeal in advertising comes from the widely held belief that sexual portrayals are effective in calling attention to the advertisement itself. Advertisers believe that sexual imagery in advertisement creates interest for the advertised product and motivates consumers to buy it. Concern whether …

…partially clad, and nude models do facilitate recognition of an advertisement, and female models are particularly effective among male consumers. But decorative models are just as effective in getting attention as nude or partially clad models. The research evidence suggests that it is the presence of an attractive person which accounts for attention getting, not the nudity or sexual suggestiveness. The sexier the advertising message, the more risky it becomes in terms of communication effectiveness.