Because the premise of advertising is to lure consumers into
purchasing a production, advertisers are willing to employ any method that will
maximize successful marketing and production consumption. With this being said, some advertisers
may use risqué or sexual images to grasp the audience’s attention and entice
them with sexual desire. Further,
the use of sexual images in ad campaigns is a controversial issue because it
frequently objectifies women. For
example, the ad on the left is meant to market Dolce & Gabbana
fashion. However, rather than the
fashion be the main focus of the ad, it seems as though the ad is centered on
showcasing gang rape and sexual assault.
At
the center of the ad, the female seems like she is struggling under the rough
grip of a shirtless man, while several other men are surrounding and watching
the scene. This highly sexualized
and violent ad was aiming to engage the audience’s attention with a femininely
degrading image.
As
a female who often witnesses female objectification in both advertising and the
media, I feel that ads that employ this message lack ingenuity and
creativity. They believe that “sex
sells.” So, what better way to
market their new clothing line than to have an attractive and visibly distressed
female being straddled by five half-naked men? By showcasing such an ad, the advertisers are essentially
endorsing rape, which is a seriously offensive and violent act against women
and also a prevalent issue in the world.
Further, when advertisers believe that an ad as such is acceptable to
use, they are demonstrating an ignorance and depletion of ethical and moral
understanding. Did you not notice that
your ad is basically illustrating gang rape?
