Sex for Sale

The Candies ad is clearly targeting the rebellious nature of young men and women who want their pleasures fast and wild. This ad specifically targets young men as evidenced by the use of such a provocatively dressed young woman in such a suggestive pose. The name of the cologne is even engineered to imply sex. In this ad, the woman is the main attraction, or the candy. The ad negatively portrays the woman implying that she is a recreational sweet for the man in the ad. In other words, the woman is the candy that the man may obtain by using their product, hence the name Candies.

In contrast, Allure appears to be seeking out an older, more refined target demographic. The emphasis in this ad is placed on the product, not cheap innuendo and flashy colors. This is accomplished by placing the bottle in the foreground and leaving the model cloaked in shadows. Although the emphasis is placed on the product, you cannot disregard the impact the model has in the overall symbolism of sexuality. The advertiser’s choice of a ruggedly handsome man and their logo, “Real men. Real allure.” appeals to the average professional man working the nine to five grind. This may also appeal to professional women who are attracted by the confidence such a man portrays.

The men and women of the advertising community are very well aware of the importance of capturing the attention of their target audiences. The power of physical beauty is not lost on these people either. Sex appeal has been used in marketing since marketing has been in use and the reason for this long association is a simple one. It works. As distasteful as the Candies ad is, it will appeal to a significant portion of the cologne buying market. The same can said of the ad for Allure, though it is more tastefully done. In fairness, it is important to note that these advertisements are not really selling sex, nor are they really selling the products listed. The real product for sale in these ads, and many like them, is fantasy.