That being said, what about using sex to sell products? Say a cheeseburger? New Zealand ended up banning the following ad for Carl's Junior because they regulate the use of sex to sell non sexy things:
http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/carls-jr-reacts-banning-racy-tv-ad-describing-it-radio-spot-148487
What do burgers have to do with scantily clad women? I guess the association is that the yahoos who eat Carl's Jr. (sorry if this is you) buy into this kind of advertising? Should there be stricter regulation in the US in regards to how products can be advertised, like in New Zealand? This may be just me, but the ad for Carl's Junior is kind of absurd and irrelevant. Let's not even get into what an ad like this does to normal people without stick bodies and long legs.
Here is a second example of sex appeal, that I think was done right. It is from a Dutch Insurance company using sex appeal in a way that is not degrading, but humorous. Please, for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/giant-idiot-speedboat-needs-good-insurance-better-swimsuit-143345
Have the advertisers got you thinking about insurance? Maybe they caught my eye because of the doofus in the speedo, I don't know. But what I am certain of, is that I was laughing at the end. The point being here, is the need for the designer of an ad to incorporate a variety of elements to pique the interest of a potential buyer. Make them think they need this insurance so they don't wind up stranded in the middle of the ocean.
I got a little off topic, but it was fun, no? So back to creating the need for the arts. I think advertising that is subtle enough to convince a marketing segment to purchase the arts product is key. We would all love to believe that the arts should be enough to sell the product, but with so many other leisure opportunities competing for the audiences' attention, it is complex. Of all the arts genres out there, I think the best opportunity to incorporate subtle sex appeal into advertising is dance. Alvin Ailey for instance:
http://www.alvinailey.org/
What I love about Alvin Ailey is they incorporate sensual movement, rhythm and bright color into their ads. Every time I see an ad by them, I feel like I need to see a dance performance, it's effective advertising. Unfortunately, the traditional orchestra, symphony, or theatre may find this difficult to maneuver. So, I ask you humble bloggers, how does the traditional, performing arts venue create ads that are not tired/dull and create that need? Does it need to involve sexuality to spark that interest and desire?
Something we discussed in class about performing arts advertisements is the importance of incorporating a quality of movement into the image. I think this is an effective way of catching the viewer’s interest, without being too sexually overt. When we look at a still picture of a person moving, we naturally become curious to see that image take real action and come to life. However, I’m not sure this makes us feel like we “need” to attend that performance, versus “want” to attend that performance.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between the two is that “need” implies an absolute necessity, whereas “want” leaves room for doubt and a chance for change of heart. When I think about the times where I thought, “I have to see that” versus “I want to see that”, it was for performances that I thought were unique, in high demand, and likely to not come around again for a long time. Therefore, I think the advertisement should somehow express these qualities. If the advertisement expresses elements of rarity, uniqueness, and popularity, we are more likely to experience those urgent feelings of need instead of those fickle feelings of want.
I was just thinking about performances that I've said "I have to see that." I realized the thing that was in common with all of the these shows was the fact that OTHER people told me that I had to see it. In order to create "need," I believe the best tool out there is word-of-mouth and social media -not a sexy ad. People do not want to feel left out of the loop and most people (despite what they say) will do something because "everyone else is doing it."
DeleteI agree with you, Hannah. After I thought about it also, whenever I've seen ads for dance companies where they use sexuality in their pictures, I've never been enticed to purchase tickets based on the picture. I've look at the picture and thought it was an interesting and captivating picture, but I don't think I've ever been drawn in to buy tickets based on that. The picture would initially get my attention, but it wouldn't get me to buy tickets. I would need to read a description of the show, read some reviews about the show or the artist, or have to hear from a friend. That being said, I think that dance lends itself to using sex appeal to capture attention, but if I saw a symphony advertisement trying to use sex appeal to advertise a classical musician, I would just be confused, not intrigued.
DeleteI agree with you guys, I'm not sure that audiences are enticed to purchase tickets based on the picture, but perhaps it captures their interest to learn more, eventually leading them to the website? As long as it sparks something, I think it can be deemed effective.
DeleteAnother thought, I agree that a symphony by itself can't really work the "sex appeal", but it's definitely done for classical soloists that can "work it", if you will. Try Yuja Wang:
http://welltempered.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/yuja-wang-dress-times-3.jpg
http://www.laphil.com/sites/default/files/styles/performance_slideshow/public/program_photos/wang_yuja_685x250_0.jpg
http://taboojive.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Wangall.jpg
Or Sarah Chang:
http://www.mask9.com/sites/default/files/mt0x0000/10057/image/201002/people-0416-violin-sarah-chang-mask9.jpg
http://www.nippertown.com/zeblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/SarahChang.jpg
Granted, not all classical artists can do this, and a lot of them are not as young or beautiful, but is definitely something that is exploited when it can be.
And then there are the more “popular” artists for the pops shows. Look at PSO’s current pops season, a good amount of pretty faces and “sexy” advertising there.
We must admit that creating a need in marketing is especially difficult for arts products. After all, food, water, clothes are needs that are essential for survival, however, art is more like a want for a better life when we don't have to worry about living. When you are starving, and you only have $1 in your pocket, would you rather spend it on a piece of bread or donate it to an arts organization?
ReplyDeleteSo how to generate the want in your target market is the key. Involving sexuality in the ads appropriately is definitely a great way to spark interest. Sex is a desire that almost every adult needs. I hate to say it, but I believe there are way more people familiar with sex than the people familiar with art. When the ad incorporates sex into art, it helps people to relate something that they might not know well to something that is a need in their lives. Yes, it actually combines the want and need together. The want to watch a show reflects our need to be sexy.
With that said, there are many ways to spark interest and desire. Involving sexuality is one of the most successful ways because it applies to a huge market, but it's not the only way. It really depends on your target market. For example, if your target market is people with high income, associating your product with high social class/ high taste of art would be a good tactic to attract them.
"When the ad incorporates sex into art, it helps people to relate something that they might not know well to something that is a need in their lives... The want to watch a show reflects our need to be sexy."
DeleteI just really liked that comment, Yingjie! I think "sexy" doesn't only have to be interpreted in a literal sense, but can be expanded to fit terms like our desire to feel praised, envied, or just "special" apart from everyone else. I agree, the marketing tactics depend on your target market (and, ultimately, your Board of Directors and senior managers).
I concur. Sex in advertising isn't just human objectification - it's also creating a connection between the known and the unknown. Most of us have highly positive associations with sex, and by correlating sex with a product advertisers ask us to transfer those positive associations to the product.
DeleteMany people fear art, and using this type of correlation with the familiar is a great way to ask potential audiences to put aside their fear. Sex is just one of many options. Love, competition, heartbreak, ... - there are many universal human experiences that are explored in art, and it's the role of the marketer to make the connection between the art and something that an audience member has experienced in order to make the art approachable and relevant.
I totally agree with Kate. To create needs or transform wants to needs, we need to find the link that can move existing or potential audience's mind. The two examples above appeal to sex, which has been the most common and effective advertising tool. However, art is less adequate to utilize such tools as it's more complex and experience-driven product. It is true that art is not necessity for everyone, but, once we successfully created a powerful trigger by utilizing correlation of familiarity, arts can create even greater needs. Having said that, I think there should be two different approaches for existing art consumers and never users. Existing users already have their own experience and expectations, so reminding the experience and impact and utilizing viral can be helpful. On the other hand, never users need much stronger tools to connect their existing interests with the new experience in the arts.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt is generally believed that the use of sexuality in advertising affects whether or not viewers buy the product. It does generates the attention to a certain product, but not the ultimate needs or long-term relationship between the consumers and the organization.
ReplyDeleteHow does that work in the arts world? For arts organizations, they are selling the "intrinsic value, or let's say on-site experience" rather than the physical objects that you can take them home with you. What kind of ads can intrigue people’s attention or wants to just have the experience rather than permanently possess the object? I think different ads targeting various market segmentations can better capture the audiences efficiently. And I personally don’t think using sexual ads can increase the actual attendances in arts world. The images selection is critical, but sometimes the information such as performance, time, location, price overweights the images. Especially for programming that every organizations should be working on: That is the real call for action.
An interesting research says that Gen Y consumers have a greater interest in purchasing the products “advertised with the socially responsible business practices theme rather than the using sexuality". I think another trend we can see is to be simple, creative and information oriented. Instead of using other elements that may distract your audience, how about make it clean and clear? There are more effective ways in sparking the desire which can be gradually turned into needs. Try to capture the "wants" first and cultivate them over times to transform them into the ultimate goal: the needs.
Anyone have insights on the use of sex to sell tickets to ballet or dance, in general? I don't personally know a lot about it, but I feel like that is an area where sex is used pretty obviously and probably with some success. Is it more acceptable in dance to use sex to sell when the body is the explicit vehicle of communication?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Yu-San that sex appeal generally does little to strengthen the long-term relationship between audiences and arts organizations. But is it acceptable (even appropriate) as a short-term means of getting new audiences in the door? I guess I don't see why not as long as the company exercises good taste and isn't exploiting their artists...thinking about recent Russian ballet scandals here.
I don't know. I think sex appeal is a strategy.. it works. But for me, comedy works better. In the examples above, I reacted more to the second video.. not because of the sex appeal, but because of the humor. I tend to remember the funny commercials and advertisements. I still laugh at the GEICO piggy going WEEE.. all the way home.. LOL :D
DeleteHere's a great article detailing the Pennsylvania Ballet's switch to more edgy and sexier images in their marketing. The organization claims they are using sex appeal to break down the stereotypes of classical ballet, attract a new market and survive against intense competition for audiences.
Deletehttp://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/cover-story/A-Delicate-Balance-Classical-Ballet-Takes-a-Sexy-Turn.html
Here's another great blog post about New York City Ballet incorporating sexier images into their marketing. Their tactic is in response to the sexiness of the dancing occurring on stage. As a more aggressive, sexy approach is tackled in the work, they want this to be accurately represented in their marketing materials.
http://livingwithcriticism.com/selling-nyc-ballet/
As dancers continued to be more idealized for their athletic bodies and as ballet evolves with 21st century trends, I believe sex appeal will exist as a means to attract audiences. But also know this isn't the first time this shift has happened in American ballet. George Balanchine revolutionized the dance scene when ballerinas only appeared onstage in leotards and tights. As both the costumes and dancing sheds layers, the sex appeal is often the root of this shift.
I agree with Ana, sex appeal is a strategy and it is less about identifying a need and more about stimulating a curiosity. You will see this a lot in advertising and its done in many ways, not just sex.
DeleteYou will see Tide and Downy using "good-feelings" to create an association of their product with "warmth" "comfort" and "smell" to satisfy the sensory. Doritos will have ads that are humorous. Jeep and Chrystler will appeal to the "American" in all of us by mentioning how we all share the same identity ... here by an american vehicle, a lot of PSA's like to shock or scare the viewer into action like in this European "Don't Text and Drive PSA"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pubTiDCEVZ8
Thats not to say that we don't all need sex and lots of it *cough* *cough*
I appreciate the Alvin Ailey's marketing material. I don't think that they were trying to be sensuous or alluring, I believe they took photographs of people engaging in visceral kinesthetic activity and that visualization can mean something different to different people depending on what they are looking for in this material. (Eric you dirty dog)
Excuse me while I climb on top of my soapbox...
ReplyDeleteWhen talking about sex in advertising, it's imperative to be cognizant of the cultural biases that lie in the interpretations of beauty and gender roles. Using babes to sling burgers is hardly a new thing (see The Sexual Politics of Meet by Carol J. Adams) and just another example of patriarchal perspective. It is dangerous, too, to rely on terms like “tasteful” and “subtle”, as they are deeply vague and run the risk of masking deeper issues.
Allison makes a great point about dance leveraging sexy ads on account of their medium’s focus on the body- when I was working with the Pennsylvania Ballet, we initiated sexy campaigns (seriously: they were for real hot). But they didn’t seem to sell tickets/get people buzzing unless the ‘sexy’ element matched the tone of the show. (Sexy Carmen? Sold! Sexy Coppelia? Not so much.)
Overall, I really think it boils down to tone: if your organization has a brand image of being “sexy”, then reflect that in your ads. If you’re doing a production of Streetcar, why not exploit those exaggerated American T.Wil gender roles (it’s an honest representation of the work, after all)? But, if your organization is producing, you know, Krapp’s Last Tape or Death of a Salesman or The Diary of Anne Frank… maybe sex for sex’s sake is not the best call.
P.S. I thought it was interesting that Eric chose this subject when addressing need vs. want, as it’s sort of at the center of human behavior (i.e. procreation vs. pleasure).
Joanna, I can't agree with you more. I do agree that there are times you can use sexy adds, but they must fit the brand of the organization and the tone of the show. When marketing, organizational brand and what is being presented should be thought of first and then a tactic decided on. Otherwise you have the potential of drawing the wrong audience in, or at the very least confusing the audience.
DeleteAnd then there's your brand. How much sexy is in your promise.
DeleteElizabeth - I'm curious as to who the wrong audience is.
DeleteYou get up on that soapbox, girl (or should I say intelligent, self-possessed woman)! In an effort to try and find some museum world examples of using sexy advertising to lure in audiences, my google search lead me to a number of ads for the Museum of Sex (not exactly arts related, but a non-profit none the less).
DeleteAs a number of people said, I think using sex appeal in advertising works best when it fits the tone of the content you are providing, and I thought, these ads will be creative, sexy, and mission oriented. Win, win, win.
Unfortunately, as Joanna warned, they were littered with cultural biases about gender and were all hetero normative. Super disappointing for an organization whose mission includes the desire to "bring the best of current scholarship on sex and sexuality to the widest possible audiences." I think sex sells to a certain extent, but I think we should not just jump on the sexy advertising bandwagon without thinking about the messages we are sending,the ideas we are proliferating about sex, and what audiences we might be excluding by our portrayal.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI don't know how to feel. I don't really hold advertising to a high moral standard. The Carl Jr ad was supposed to get my attention and it did I guess in that regard it was indeed successful.
DeleteThroughout the whole thing I was thinking 1) these girls haven't eaten a real burger in years... who are they fooling and 2) What the Hell is a Carl Jr... is that Hardees... oh well I associate Hardees with Mad Cow disease and poor sanitation so this commercial was well in line with my "dirty" perception of their brand. Then again, I don't think many of us fall into the Hardees target market... clearly. I don't remember the last time I tried to contemplate the sociopolitical consequences of a pound burger topped with BBQ pulled pork, BBQ sauce, cheese, and if that wasnt enough, chards of a deep fried bloomin onion. Then again its been a while since I've contemplated suicide. (a little dark humor)
Then again I may not be paying attention but I believe gender bias will often go both ways in Advertising. Most of them are meant to appeal to women since we are the ones doing the card swiping. Lysol might as well come out with a commercial that says "MEN ARE DIRTY AND INCOMPETENT, LYSOL CAN MAKE DEALING WITH THEIR INCOMPETENCE EASIER".
I know I am jumping around, but I feel like the enemy here is the almighty dollar. Objectification in some regards sells and as long as it continues to do so, we will see classy and elegant commercials like the ones funded by Carl Jr's.
Lol, of course gender bias goes both ways! I don't think anyone would disagree with that. It goes all the ways! And it varies according to history and culture.
DeleteAlso, maybe you don't hold advertising to a high moral standard personally, Ariel, but would you agree that a non-profit should be held accountable for messages in their advertising?
Thinking back to our first week of class when discussing AIDA, an image/ad with sexual appeal could certainly grab the ATTENTION - and if you miss the first step of AIDA then your consumer will certainly never get the to ACTION step!
ReplyDeleteBut, for your particular event, will that image draw the ATTENTION from the right target marketing that will then also have the INTEREST to follow through? Your ad needs to consider more than just one step - just because someone notices your ad does not mean they are interested or will take action on it. And as Eric mentioned with his first example, maybe that works for Carl's Jr - the people whose attention was caught from that ad also might be likely to be interested in the Memphis BBQ Burger - so I guess that works!
As others have mentioned, it is thinking beyond that short term window and really considering whether or not this will draw you a customer.
It is usually said in the advertising world, "Even if the advertisement seems well-made, catches eyes of the target customers, if the ad did not succeed in letting the customers remember the brand name and buy it, the ad is considered a failure." In other words, if the Carl's Jr's sex appeal ad got attention and interest by its contents, it should connect that attention and interest to the actual action. But I'm not sure how many people will remember it was Memphis BBQ burger of Carl's Jr. I would say, it was successful in getting attention on the two ladies in the ad, but not the burger, itself.
DeleteIt is usually said in the advertising world, "Even if the advertisement seems well-made, catches eyes of the target customers, if the ad did not succeed in letting the customers remember the brand name and buy it, the ad is considered a failure." In other words, if the Carl's Jr's sex appeal ad got attention and interest by its contents, it should connect that attention and interest to the actual action. But I'm not sure how many people will remember it was Memphis BBQ burger of Carl's Jr. I would say, it was successful in getting attention on the two ladies in the ad, but not the burger, itself.
DeleteI think (the other) Rebecca makes a really good point. One can't exclude the storytelling aspect that goes along with the "sexy image." Without it, there is no interest. This is essentially also what Dana said. I won't get too far in the topic of psychology or sex as a "need" vs. a "want", but we know that it's probably the only thing can be considered a universal "want" of all arts audiences. Whether sex is a "need" depends on your realm of psychology (obviously evolutionary psychology considers it to be a need while behavioral psychology considers it to be the strongest reinforcer outside of the four needs- food, water, light, safety/dwelling.)
ReplyDeleteSex will only sell if there is a story behind it that the audience understands innately. That will grab the interest, regardless of the type of art is it advertising (I have seen a number of theater ads that incorporate sex and a number of orchestra ads where the clothing is somewhat lacking). So I'd say that storytelling is the most important part of arts advertising, whether it includes a sexy image or not.
I can't decide which thread to jump onto, but I tend to agree with Eric about saying "I need to see that" after seeing certain dance advertising. For me, that need comes from wanted to see what movement comes next, not necessarily the sex appeal. Actors and musicians can look as invested as possible in speaking or playing, but I still have no clue what they are saying or playing. With dance, a single image is followed by something that is potentially very dynamic, and the right image allows you to imagine that.
ReplyDeleteOn a classical music/sex sidenote, the PSO has two young female soloists coming to close the season that both sell sex appeal. Yuja Wang is an absolutely phenomenal pianist, but her concert reviews are usually split between music and outfit...considering how we consider Pittsburgh audiences to be "conservative", I can't wait to see what she wears here in June.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/08/yuja-wang-and-that-little-orange-dress.html
I also don't know which thread to jump on. I do want to allocate ten points to Sara Ryan for using the phrase hetero-normative. I mostly agree with Joanna, and just think there's too many cultural biases to really do it well. I would most avoid it.
ReplyDeleteEspecially in the museum world, where more traditional museums are still extensively criticized for their male gaze centric presentation of art (see: anything the Guerrilla Girls have ever done). In that case, now that I think about it, maybe sex has been selling museums since forever since that's the top product...hmm...
I mean, really- have you ever looked at work by Renoir? Dude's a straight up creeper.
DeleteI'm surprised no one mentioned the Untitled Feminist Show marketing material. The show itself featured 6 nude actors/dancers who pantomimed with very little words and this picture was the one used for all marketing materials I saw:
ReplyDeletehttp://newhazletttheater.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Young_Jean_Lees_Theater_Company1-620x310.jpg
Although the content of the show revolved around de-eroticizing the nude figure and not labeling what feminism or female or feminine even is, I still thought the marketing material attracted attention without sexualizing.