When something shocks you is it a good thing? It's good if you have hiccups I suppose and then it shocks them away. But if you don't have the hiccups and if it's just a downright shock then what? A nasty surprise you wish you could unsee? Or something which makes you stop and think and consider something new?
#sexsells seems to be a new trend, but how far do you agree with it? We've seen the steamy Calvin Klein and Emporio Armani ads with the beautiful Beckhams, with Megan Fox, with Rihanna and because they're promoting underwear we say it's fine, it's hot. However, look at the Tom Ford fragrance ads, the Diesel #sexsells campaign, the nude covers of Love Magazine, the Abercrombie and Fitch "Back to School" adverts.
Is it necessary? Do companies need to use the shock value of nudity and raw sex to sell their products? Are they just using the human body to sell their brand? What does this say about their company and brand ethos? On the other hand, what does this say about me? And about the fact that I am shocked by them and feel uncomfortable when I'm faced with a pair of DD's and a perfume bottle squashed between them? My (male) friend thinks that if everyone just embraced this as a form of advertising then the controversy would disappear. We all know what our bodies look like, but is it just gratuitous to put it on a billboard?
Sex may sell, but who to? The above Lynx and Tom Ford ads are aimed at men. Is it right that they are using our bodies, women's bodies, to objectify and sell a product? This is the kind of advertising that should be X-Rated, what kind of ideas does it give us?
Putting the medias idea of a "perfect" woman's body in the spotlight can only serve to make the "normal" women feel worse about themselves surely? It's hard enough for a woman to feel good about herself without fashion brands promoting an unrealistic body which has been photoshopped to perfection. Are 12 year old girls going to look at one of Mr Ford's adverts and aspire to be the woman in the photo? Look at the "Back to School" campaign and think that's what they have to do? Will they think that is what a man wants? Don't get me wrong, I am a known wannabe-housewife and am no feminist, but surely this is slightly too far? Women should be treasured, appreciated and viewed as partners by men, not faceless, void "perfect" bodies. Who knows. There are two sides to every argument and I have no idea which one is right, but I do know that this method of advertising is not for me.
