Perfume Advertisements: Selling Sex or Scent?Megan Ricica
4-16-15
Does sex sell? In daily advertisements we’re bombarded with steamy commercials. Fragrance commercials are stereotypically portrayed with sex. These advertisements show gender roles and sex roles in today’s society. Men are see as dominant and powerful, while women are seen sex symbols.
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Main Findings from Literature Review
Lull, Hanson, and Marx found that women were more sensitive and critical of the sex role stereotyping of females than were men
In a study by by Sara Picklesimer in 2007, messages in gender congruent advertisements were perceived as more clear than messages found in gender incongruent advertisements, but has little influence over the effectiveness of the ad
Wortzel and Frisbie measured individual preferences for women's role portrayals in ads by having women construct print ads for a variety of products.
None of the role portrayals were consistently preferred. Instead, subjects matched the product to a role portrayal based on the product's function.
Conclusions from Literature Review
Attractive women are more effective to use when selling a product that is perceived as feminine
Advertising stereotypes women into few defining roles like housewife, sex object, or emotionally sensitive. Making society believe that these are appropriate roles for women.
Mass media still focuses on gender roles
Commercial’s shape viewers opinions
Women are linked to commercials selling beauty or household products
By continuing to portray such stereotypes, advertisers are only reinforcing traditional images of what it means to be masculine or feminine or male or female
by persuading consumers that buying these products will allow them to achieve an ideal of femininity or masculinity when there really is no set "ideal.”
Do these findings apply to fragrance commercials?
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Compare and contrast male and women fragrances
Who is more likely to comment on these types of ads?
Are they commenting on the perfume or on the models/sex/appearances
In fragrance advertisements are gender and sex roles being reinforced to their portrayals in society?
Methods
Studied 10 female fragrances commercials
Studied 10 male fragrances commercials
Content analysis of which gender comments on these types of advertisements
Content analysis of what consumers are saying about the advertisement- is it about the perfume/cologne being sold or sex?
Results
Men’s Fragrances
Overall findings:
68.5% of comments made on fragrance videos are unrelated to the product and focus on sex and appearances
74% of comments on fragrance videos were made by women
Conclusions from Research
Majority of comments are unrelated to the ad and are focused on sex/gender roles for both men and women
Women are more critical about appearances
Comments about women’s appearances are harsh compared to men
Comments show that men are viewed as sex symbols to be desired not sex objects to be used like women stereotypically are
Fragrance ads reinforce gender roles and can shape viewers perceptions
Males are masculine and dominant
Women are sex objects and emotionally sensitive
Is it acceptable to make sexually explicit/ degrading comments to women in advertising? Comments towards women are viewed as degrading, but men are just seen as manly and sexy.
I think that the results I got were based on the product being sold. Fragrance ads are highly sexualized leading consumers to comment on the model’s appearances and the sexual nature of the advertisement not the product
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Relation to Reality
This advertisement of the Beckham’s perfume exemplifies gender/sex roles that are portrayed in our society. In the advertisement, David Beckham is viewed as dominant to his wife, powerful and manly. Victoria Beckham is a sex symbol and isn’t empowering her other qualities. Advertisement’s today views a society where women have a skewed perception of what they should be. In this ad, Victoria is not only suggestively depicted but as submissive to a man overpowering her. Society today claims to teach that nothing is less attractive then a woman who needs a mans approval to be empowered but some of the most popular product campaigns sell the opposite image. To be a sex symbol because a woman is desired rather then because she is independent. Fragrance ads do not distinguish women’s beauty or intelligence but corrupts sexuality.
Comments from YouTube:
 
 
“The Beckhams really know how to turn the heat up!”
 
 
Analysis of all comments on each YouTube video
Apply findings/compare to apparel commercials
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Sources