Sex Sells

The promotion of products through commercial advertisements has been widely accepted as a marketing tool for consumer products throughout history and is taken advantage of in the modern day. Commercial advertising constantly surrounds customers with mental images of their products. As modern technology becomes prevalent worldwide, global corporations utilize the “sex sells” method with scandalous women in order to increase sales by appealing to the majority of the male audience. These advertisements are further popularized through their airing on national events, such as the annual Super Bowl, and has become a recurring theme for Doritos chips and GoDaddy management. Compared to other nations, America has arguably become hyper sexualized, obsessed with using the idea that “sex sells” to obtain more viewers, which leads to increased sales. This continual process of utilizing female nudity to gain viewer attention gives women the impression that they should be submissive, yet “sexy” in order to be considered desirable.

These commercial advertisements’ motives can only be achieved by the “help” of its viewers. Similar to a person, typically aimed towards younger men, who view these commercial advertisements, when viewing a prospective mating partner, the human subconscious automatically creates an attachment to the person as the brain releases chemicals.  Some of these chemicals include dopamine and oxytocin, which stimulate physical reactions, like an increased heart rate and flushed cheeks, as it prepares for the reproductive cycle. The manipulation of emotions through heavily emphasized libido in advertisements conflict with ethical morals as the demoralization of women is used to create economic profits.

With this aim to “excite” viewers, women are being socially degraded and demoralized. The ethical dilemma behind sexualization is that unlike drugs, it is an issue that affects one gender significantly more than the other, thus giving one side of the societal spectrum a feeling as though they are victims. Although many models such as Charlotte Mckinney claim that they love their job, what they're really doing is selling their body and creating unrealistic standards for women in society today. Women in their early twenties and even teenage years  may feel subjected to have to meet these high standards models are setting today.