Sex Sells

2 Pages 543 Words

Question:Consider the visual impact of billboards on society. Research the use
of the ‘sex sells’ cliché in relation to imagery, text and social values


Essay: Billboards are a very effective way of advertising and have a large impact on society. This can be either a negative or positive impact, which varies from poster to poster. Designers are faced with the task of making their ad appealing to the vast audience that will pass the billboard every day so these posters must have certain qualities to make them eye-catching and interesting. They must be bold, have appropriate use of colour, be readable and/or recognizable and clear. They must also be able to make the product appealing to the audience, and this is where the ‘sex sells’ cliché comes into it.

Nowadays society is getting more and more relaxed in its view towards sex, it is now quite common to see a billboard with a beautiful, voluptuous woman advertising anything from shampoo to car accessories. In the past publicising sex or using sex to sell or promote anything was frowned upon but as the power has passed down through the generations it has been looked upon with a more liberal attitude. Society is slowly accepting these posters but every now and then the boundaries are pushed or tested by advertisements that try to g o that little bit further in search of uniqueness or, most of the time controversy.

Controversy can play a big part to whether or not billboards fulfil their task. Companies are always looking for something that separates their poster from the rest so by pushing the boundaries and creating a sexually provocative poster which they know will most likely cause debate is worth its weight in gold, as there is nothing better than free publicity.

One example of this is the new Windsor Smith billboard advertising their new shoes (shown below). The ad shows a man wearing the shoes standing over a scantily clad woman. It has a sexual under...