MY TAKE ON: The highly sexual art of selling perfume

Image Source: http://popcrush.com

The term “sex sells” does not only have a literal meaning but also a metaphorical take especially when it comes to fragrance advertising that uses women as an object of desire, and as repetitive sex symbols. This article can be linked to the concept of feminism where it can be defined as a culture that practices inequality and women are treated differently from their male counter parts, mainly because they are women (Lewis, 2012). 

In my opinion, portraying a women’s prerogative is part of the pop culture that is also eminent not only in advertising, but including rap videos and products that requires a touch of sexual art. Writing.com also has a similar viewpoint by stating that: 

“Women are portrayed as “objects” in magazine advertisements and on billboards, they are no longer a person selling a product, they are the product, and the actual commodity has become more of an accessory that cannot sell without the female sex object by its side.” 

                                                                                                                             (2008)

Image Source: http://theempressofdress.blogspot.com

Therefore, Madonna’s fragrance, Truth or Dare uses sexual appeal to entice youngsters to buy and “experience” the similar sexiness but this may not be in the good books of feminists who believe that the objectification of women will degrade their worthiness immensely. 

Other than that, the expected increase of sexuality in advertisements has led to the concept of media representation where according to Brooks and Hebert, media representation often than not is powerful enough to create, construct and disseminate gender ideologies in gender socialization (2006, p. 298). 

So, albeit the influence that media holds upon what is in and what is not, the demand for sexuality for product related is high and impossible to ignore. Therefore Mittelmeier suggests that it’s either that this notion can be reversible or we just got to embrace the idea whole-heartedly (2007). 

                                                                                                                   (300 Words)

REFERENCE LIST

2008, “Female As Sex Symbols In Media”, Writing.com. Viewed 12th June 2012,

[Available Online]:

http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1411237-Females-As-Sex-Symbols-In-Media



Brooks, D. E., Hebert, L. P., 2006, “Gender, Race and Media Representation”, Gender and Communication in Mediated Context, (p. 297 – p. 317). Viewed 12th June 2012

[Available Online]:

http://www.afghanjc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/GENDER__RACE__AND_MEDIA_REPRESENTATION.pdf



Lewis, J. J., 2012, “Feminism: What is Feminism?”, About.com. Viewed 12th June 2012

[Available Online]:

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/feminism/a/feminism.htm



Mittelmeier, J., 2007, “A Generation of Sex Symbols”, Kansan.com. Viewed 12th June 2012

[Available Online]:

http://www.kansan.com/news/2007/sep/21/sex_symbols/