The Ethical Role Of Sexualization In Advertising

482 Words2 Pages

In this contemporary period we live in today, society has certainly had some improvements. Old age issues that used to be considered taboo are finally being brought into the light of discussion. For example, heteronormativity is slowly being questioned and gender equality is becoming the new norm. However, certain things are still blocking and stunting these advancements in our society. Say for certain, the sexualization in the advertisements.
The advertising industry is without a doubt effective; but the mechanisms and strategies as to how these advertisements becomes effective is a much more complex topic altogether. It is the company's obstacle to decide how to persuade the mass into buying their products/ services and one of the most common strategies they use to entice the consumers' interest is the sexualization in advertisements (Walker and Zaid, 2011).
Sexualization in the advertisements occurs when a person’s—usually women’s—body or body parts are used to attract the consumers’ attention and to persuade them into buying/ doing whatever benefits the company responsible. On the other hand, this advertising strategy also objectifies women. It puts someone down and reduces them into primarily a body. Objectification, as you may not know, is a common tactic used in wars, …show more content…

It is true for a fact that sexualization is highly effective when used on a product typically associated with sex. However, if sex is perceived irrelevant with the product, then it may cause negative effects on the purchasing intention. Advertisements often portray stereotypical gender roles especially on women and at the same time contribute to mental health problems (i. e., eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, depression, etc.) by displaying a, practically but not completely, unattainable “ideal” female body