Sexual appeal is the ability to attract others sexually. As such, it is an important factor in mate choice and sexual selection. Here’s an explanation of how sexual appeal affects brand attitudes.
It also affects the way people remember an ad scene. To understand this phenomenon, we must understand the different types of sexual appeal.
Efficacy of sexually oriented appeals in advertising
This study examined the effectiveness of sexually oriented appeals in advertising. The researchers found that men and women are equally susceptible to the influence of such advertisements. However, there were some limitations to the study. One limitation was the lack of a common definition of “sexually oriented appeals.”
A well-defined term is needed to describe what constitutes sexually oriented appeals in advertising. Although this term is commonly used, there is little research relating to its exact definition. The researchers applied a grounded-theory approach to study the phenomenon. They asked respondents to identify sexually oriented ads and to describe them. Results indicated four overarching characteristics of these ads. These features included the physical features of the models, their behavior and movement, and the context in which they were shown.
Regardless of the purpose of the advertising campaign, sexually oriented appeals are a potential distraction to drivers. Some studies have shown that driving behavior changes in drivers exposed to such advertisements. They concluded that such advertisements pose a threat to road safety. Further, roadside advertising should be restricted in areas where it may be hazardous for drivers.
Effects of sex appeal on brand attitude
The effects of sexual appeal on brand attitude and purchasing intention have been studied in several different contexts. One recent study analyzed the effect of sex appeal in ads. In this study, participants were exposed to two print ads, one with sexual appeal and one without. The results of the tests were consistent.
In the study, researchers manipulated three key factors in the advertisements. These included gender, images of sex, and images of fear. The researchers administered the images to 36 students taking an introductory marketing course. The participants rated the pictures on a 10-point scale. Afterward, four experts selected four images and added a fictitious brand name. The results showed that sexual images arouse arousal in women and men.
The effects of sexual appeal on brand attitude were most apparent among higher-ASE participants. The higher-ASE participants showed more favorable attitudes towards the ad than the lower-ASE participants. In addition, the effects of sexual themes on brand attitudes were also greater among participants with high ASE. Sexual ads can also target specific segments of women based on their sociodemographics, such as overweight and obese individuals.
Another study found that ad sparked a negative attitude among consumers. The researchers analyzed several types of advertising to find out what factors affected a brand’s attitude. They found that ads with sex images caused a negative impact on brand attitudes, while those that didn’t use sex images produced the opposite effect.
Effects of sex appeal on memory for ad scene
A new study reveals that advertisers use visual sexual appeals to activate memory. Researchers tested the effects of sexual versus nonsexual visual appeals on consumer recall of an ad scene. They used a mixed-factorial study in which 146 participants completed visual recognition and free recall tasks. The results support evolutionary psychology claims that sexual appeals enhance the recall of an ad scene and distract viewers from processing non-sexy details.
The effects of sex appeal on advertising were investigated across three countries: the United States, Australia, and China. Results suggest that consumers in Australia and China are more tolerant of sexually explicit ads. This finding has important implications for advertisers. Among other things, it suggests that consumers’ attitudes towards ad scenes are influenced by the ad’s sexual appeal.
Despite these findings, the findings also suggest that sexual appeals have a negative impact on memory. While males were not more likely to recall a sexually explicit ad scene, females were less likely to remember the brand. The study’s authors note that a sexually explicit ad scene may not be the best choice for a product.
These results suggest that sexual appeals can enhance advertising recall, but do so at the expense of brand recall. While this is a mixed bag, it does appear that viewers are more likely to recall a brand logo after viewing a sexually explicit advertisement scene. The findings suggest that the effects of sexual appeals on implicit memory are more complex than previously thought.
