Due Wednesday 10/26
For this assignment, find in the world TWO examples EACH of Romance, Sex, and Gender appeals. You MAY repeat examples, if you think the same example is appealing to more than one of them. However, you MUST write a SEPARATE analysis of how the example appeals to each one.
- Find two examples of each one
- Explain any relevant context needed to understand the example
- Analyze HOW the example is attempting to appeal to the audience’s desire for romance, sex, and/or gender identity.
How does something appeal to gender identity? For example, fancy soap commercials feature women using the soaps and looking feminine. It might make me feel, “women use fancy soaps, if I use regular soap, then I’m bad at being feminine. If I want to be/feel feminine, I guess I have to buy fancy soaps.” A combined gender + sex or romance appeal for straight women might be “If I don’t use these fancy soaps, men might think I’m not feminine enough and think I’m gross and not want to date me and/or sleep with me”
Allah Raja
Romance Appeal Example-
-There Is one Coca-Cola ad which has a couple sitting together enjoying a bottle of Coca-Cola and it says “Happiness. Coca-Cola”
-In a lot of perfume ads for example Versace eros and YSL, a female is shown with a male, eliciting the romance appeal
Both these examples are attempting to use romance appeal. In both ads, the audience’s desire to obtain and have romance is being exploited. In the Coca-Cola ad, it is portrayed that Coca-Cola leads to a happiness relationship. Whereas in the various perfume ads, it is portrayed that the different perfumes are so rich in their smell that they will aid you in your relationships and lead to more romance. (as weird as it may sound)
Sex Appeal Examples-
-like romance appeal, a lot of perfume companies use sex appeal in their ads to promote the perfumes
-a lot of makeup brands also utilize sex appeal, showing that makeup increases beauty, and they are trying to tie that into the phenomenon of sex
Both of these examples are actively using sex appeal. Both examples involve different ads. Different makeup brands use sex appeal, by showing a woman clinging on to a man wearing lipstick or putting on some mascara. They are trying to portray that the womans beauty amplifies because of the makeup and because of that, sexual urge amongst both partners increases. There is a similar situation in the perfume ads, the main argument or point of the ad is to show that the perfume amplifies the presence of a man or women and increases the sexual urge amongst both partners. (very weird to explain but it is what it is)
Gender Appeal Example–
-In home depot ads, the advertisements usually portray men buying and looking at items, because men are more likely to buy heavy duty stuff like heavy machinery and wood and lumber compared to females.
-in beauty related ads like skincare products or makeup, mostly women are portrayed in the ads because women are more likely to be appealed by these things compared to men
Both of these examples are actively using gender appeal. These examples kind of align with stereotypes but after all, that is a major part of the gender appeal anyways. In the first example, Home Depot ads mostly portray men because men are mostly associated with hard outside work like construction or wood work or mowing lawns and other stuff like that. So it would make sense to show men because men would most likely buy the products in home depot. Whereas in the beauty related product ads, they are more likely to portray women because women generally care more about skincare and beauty and looking pretty compared to men
Romance Appeal
Ralph Lauren
Nivea
a fragrance used to smell good- during ads it’s mostly portrayed that women attract men by how they smell
body lotion used to moisturize the body- a Nivea ad shows a woman moisturizing her legs which makes them look alluring.
Basically, the romance appeal is saying if I don’t smell good or look appealing my partner won’t be attracted to me
Sex Appeal
Clavin Klein jeans
This ad basically projects a sexual position, the man played down and the woman over him
I feel like the sex appeal is making a statement that we have to make things in sexual way for it to be accepted
Gender Appeal
Budweiser & polo Ralph Lauren
beer ads mostly show more men engaging with the product and women just sitting by the side.
polo ads are more of men wearing their brand, making it seems that only men can wear polo
Gender appeal is just portraying that there needs to be equality in everything we do, we shouldn’t make it seem that only a man can do some particular things and woman o
Romance Appeal
– Tender Romance is a fragrance by Ralph Lauren. In the advertisement, a couple was pictured holding hands while standing on a swing. You may smell “nicer and more attractive” as a result of the scent.
– A promise ring was featured in a Tiffany and Co. jewelry advertisement. The two men in the advertisement were seen to be happy and smiling. It implies that you should give your significant other a ring as a sign of your affection.
Sex Appeal
– Calvin Klein ads use celebrities to promote their products to make them sexy and attractive.
– Perfume ads. Some perfumes can make you smell seductive and sexy.
Gender Appeal
– The majority of the people in Old Spice’s advertisements are men. “Men use antiperspirants from this company. The scent represents masculinity.”
-Any advertisement for makeup casts a woman in the role of the product. Makeup isn’t assigned to one gender, but these ads make it seem otherwise. “Women use makeup to enhance their femininity. It enhances their beauty. Girls should wear makeup.”
1. Romance Appeal:
Cologne advertisements. Many cologne advertisements for men use romance appeal as their main way to persuade a target audience.
Watches advertisements.
Both of these romantic appeals build their argument on the fact that the product that they offer would make them more attractive to the opposing gender. They rely on the idea that the product that they offer would make the user more romantically appealing to their spouse.
2. Sex Appeal:
Makeup products advertisements and Designer brands advertisements.
Many of these brands that advertise their products rely on the idea that their product would increase the likelihood that the user would be more sexually appealing to their spouse.
3. Gender Appeal:
Ford F150 pickup trucks advertisements.
Home Depot Advertisements.
Both of these types of advertisements appeal solely to men. They use the cultural idea that men should have big pickup trucks and should have power tools etc. to be real “men”.
Romance Appeal Examples:
E.g.1 A commercial for new pillows displaying a young couple cuddling in bed
E.g.2 A smoothie bar having a poster of two people drinking a milkshake with two straws on their window
Both of these examples include a romantic relationship with two people using their products. With the pillows they show an intimate action of cuddling, which is usually done by those with romantic interest in each other. On the other hand, sharing a milkshake like in the poster is something one would do on a date. By connecting the idea of a cute romantic relationship with the pillow/milkshake, it will make people think they would need to buy it for their partners.
Sex Appeal Examples:
E.g.1 A new line of bathing suits displayed on attractive models
E.g.2 An ad from a suit company with a male being chased by many women
The first example showing the bathing suit worn by models show sex appeal since they are trying to convey to the audience that their product is sexy and will make you sexy if you were it as well. Seeing attractive people wear or do things will convince others to do the same in order to also be seen as attractive by others. The second example of sex appeal is generally more towards straight men since its showing a male being followed by other women, which is inferred to be because he is sexy due to his suit. Men who are sexually attracted to women will watch this thinking it will do the same for them to an extent.
Gender Appeal Examples:
E.g.1 An ad of a women shaving her legs with a razor
E.g.2 An ad of men doing home construction projects with a set of drills
Both of these ads portray gender expectations, with women having to be hairless and shave their legs, and with men having to be handy. When women watch the razor ad, it will make them feel like they have to also buy the product in order to comply with the norm and shave their legs. On the other hand, when men watch the drill ad, they’ll see other men engaging in construction projects and will want to buy those products to feel ‘manly’.
Romance Appeal:
1) Perfume brands: Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana, and Calvin Klein.
-For the most part, there is usually a girl hugging a guy in perfume ads thus portraying romance appeal because the physical touch indicates affection between both sexes, desirability, and connection. This shows that the product will increase attachment between both sexes and that a person of the opposite/same sex will find you more attractive if one buys the product being sold.
2) Cooking commercials: When a person cooks for their significant other.
-Same as perfume ads, but with cooking ads, the connection is shown through the generous act of “cooking for your partner”.
Sex Appeal:
1) Undergarment ads: Boxers, bras, swimsuits, etc…
2) Perfume ads: When there is a man/woman in the ad with little to no clothing.
– These are classified as sex appeal because they are using seduction in order to persuade people to buy products.
Gender Appeal:
1) Nike ad: “A run with the girls shouldn’t hurt the girls”
– This ad appeals to mostly women because Nike is selling compressions shorts and sports bras, and by stating that “… shouldn’t hurt the girls” they are saying that if you buy their product your intimate parts will be protected.
2) Axe ad: “The cleaner you are, the dirtier you get”
– The Axe ad is selling deodorant and shower gel, this can be appealing to both men and women because they are saying that if you buy the product, you will be cleaner. You will become more feminine or masculine
Romance appeal:
Example: Niva, Cologne advertisements
“Romantic” moments in advertisements can be effective because they can encourage our brains to encode information in long-term memory. Due to the direct connections between LTME and consumer decision-making and future behavior, this is crucial to effective advertising.
Sex Appeal :
Example: Clavin Klein, Sephora
By appealing to viewers’ fantasies and desires regarding sexuality, The Sex Appeal draws them in. This strategy is used by advertisers because it is a simple and effective way to get people’s attention right away, particularly men.
Gender Appeal:
Example: Home Depot, beauty-related ads
You can tailor your advertising to appeal to men or women by using demographic data about your target audience. You need to look beyond simple male or female demographics to create effective advertising. The reason why a person purchases a product is more significant than who they are, and the more you understand about the men or women who use the products you sell, the more successful you’ll be.
Gender appeal:
All of Old Spice’s commercials were made to target the male audience. The bodywash and other products are made for men
Cologne ads in general like “Old Spice” appeal to men. Many advertisements can be taking part in doing something stereotypically manly or being adventurous.
Sex Appeal:
I think Old Spice bodywash can also apply to sex appeal because in some of the advertisements women love the bodywash, which can make one think they would be interested in the man that uses it.
There are those old ads that would have a model taking a bite of a burger or something like that. The creators were trying to use an attractive woman to reel in consumers for this new burger.
Romance Appeal:
There’s a gum ad for “Extra” where two people look at each other and share a piece of gum and we see their whole lives together in one moment. They were trying to convince us that all we need is a piece of
“Extra” gum and that special someone.
AARP has commercials of old couples that look happy to be with each other. The commercial isn’t completely about that, but seeing an old couple is very romantic in our time.
Romance Appeal:
Kay Jewelry commercials and Ralph Lauren commercials
Kay jewelers have their signature slogan “Every kiss begins with Kay”. This implies your intimate life with your significant other will be better with jewelry from Jay. A lot of perfume commercials like Ralph Lauren showcase sexual tension or intimacy between two attractive people
Gender Appeal:
Maybelline and Pantene commercials
These are examples of gender appeal because they are specifically targeting women. Their entire campaign is about “working” women who find empowerment in their cosmetic products
Sex Appeal:
Ralph Lauren commercials and Axe body spray commercials
Both commercials really depend on the attractiveness of the people in the commercial. While Ralph Lauren is all about the intimacy between two attractive people, axe commercials imply if you wear their body spray, you’ll get all the hot girls
Romance Appeal
1) The Kay jewelry company always has romance in their ads and their slogan is “Every kiss begins with Kay.”
2) Perfume and cologne ads like the ones from Ralph Lauren usually have a romantic couple in their ads.
The Kay jewelry company is saying your significant other will kiss you if you buy them Kay jewelry products. The perfume/cologne ads are trying to say that if you use and smell like their product, people will be attracted to you.
Sex Appeal
1) Perfume/cologne ads not only use romance appeal, but also use sex appeal as well in their ads.
2) Some clothing stores like Abercrombie & Fitch use sex appeal by using attractive models to show off their product.
Just like the romance appeal, perfume/cologne ads are saying that if you use their product, people will be attracted to you. Clothing stores like Abercrombie & Fitch use attractive models to attract people’s attention to their store.
Gender Appeal
1) Old Spice uses gender appeal to attract men into buying the product. Their slogan is “Smell like a man, man.”
2) Home Depot also seems to use gender appeal to attract men.
These two examples use gender appeal to lure men into buying their products. They use the stereotypes in which men should have power tools and should smell like a man (which includes Old Spice scents such as Volcano with Charcoal Scent, Swagger Scent of Confidence, and Wild Collection Bearglove).
TWO EXAMPLES OF ROMANCE APPEAL
Example No 1. A diamond commercial showing a couple in love, with the tagline “Forever Yours”: This commercial appeals to the audience’s desire for romance by showing a couple in love, suggesting that buying a diamond is a way to express and symbolize their love for one another. The use of the romantic tagline “Forever Yours” implies that the couple’s love will last forever.
Example No 2. A movie trailer for a romantic comedy featuring a beautiful couple in a dream-like setting: This trailer appeals to the audience’s desire for romance by showing a beautiful couple in a dream-like setting, suggesting that the movie will be a fun and light-hearted story about two people falling in love. The visuals of the couple in a romantic setting further reinforces this idea, and the use of lighthearted music creates a positive, uplifting mood. The trailer is sure to leave viewers feeling excited and inspired to watch this romantic comedy.
-Both examples have a romantic appeal since they represent a couple in love in a dream-like situation. The diamond ad says that purchasing a diamond is a method for a couple to show and represent their love for one another, but the movie trailer implies that the film will be a lighthearted and entertaining narrative about two people falling in love. Both instances combine taglines and pictures to create a romantic ambiance, establishing the concept of romance in the minds of the audience.
TWO EXAMPLES OF SEX APPEAL
Example No 1: A perfume advertisement showing a beautiful couple hugging in a private time. This advertising is most likely aimed at a heterosexual audience seeking an idealized love connection. This advertising attempts to appeal to the audience’s romantic aspirations by portraying a beautiful couple hugging. It implies that if they utilize the product, they could have a similar love experience.
Example No 2: A film teaser showcasing two lead characters sharing a passionate kiss. This film trailer is most likely aimed at a broad audience interested in a romance narrative. This trailer attempts to appeal to the audience’s longing for romance by portraying a passionate kiss between the two characters. It implies that if they watch the movie, they will have a similar love experience.
-Both examples demonstrate sex appeal by displaying intimate encounters between two people. The first advertising depicts a loving embrace between a couple, implying a physical connection. In the second case, the teaser depicts a passionate kiss between two individuals, implying a deep emotional bond. Both instances aim to capitalize on the audience’s yearning for physical and emotional connection.
TWO EXAMPLES OF GENDER APPEAL
Example No 1: Gender attraction is demonstrated in the romantic comedy film “He’s Just Not That Into You”. This film explores several people’s lives and how they deal with the ups and downs of their relationships. The film tries to appeal to the audience’s need for romance by depicting the ups and downs of the characters’ relationships, such as the ups and downs of a long-term partnership, a problematic marriage, and a new connection with a prospective soulmate. The film also emphasizes how partnerships may bring both joy and grief. The spectator is able to watch how the characters handle the complexity of their relationships and how this impacts their lives through the film.
Example No 2: Another example of gender attraction is “The Bachelor”. This program follows a group of unmarried men and women as they compete for the love of a single bachelor. By displaying the many love interactions between the bachelor and the candidates, the show seeks to appeal to the audience’s longing for romance. The audience is able to witness the different obstacles that might occur in relationships, such as envy, emotional upheaval, and communication concerns, through the presentation. The program also emphasizes the value of communication and compromise in relationships, as well as the delight of discovering genuine love.
Both examples demonstrate gender attraction by depicting the complexities of relationships and highlighting the need for communication and compromise.
Romance
1)Ralph Lauren has perfume and cologne ads that are used to give the audience the idea that if they use the perfume or cologne, they will be able to attract the person they like.
2) A travel ad featuring a couple holding hands and gazing at a beautiful sunset. The ad speaks to the romance and connection that can be experienced through travel and shared experiences.
Sex
1)An ad for a car featuring a model posing seductively next to the car. The ad speaks to the sex appeal and attractiveness of the car and how it can enhance a person’s sex life if they were to get that car.
2)An ad for a clothing company featuring a model posing in revealing lingerie. The ad speaks to the sex appeal and attractiveness of the lingerie and how it can enhance a person’s sex life.
Gender
1)An ad for a toy targeting young boys featuring a rugged male action figure engaged in adventure or combat play. The ad speaks to traditional gender roles and expectations for boys, such as being brave and strong.
2)An ad for a beauty product targeting women featuring a model with a non-traditional appearance, such as a shaved head or tattoos. The ad speaks to the idea that beauty comes in all forms and that traditional gender roles and expectations for women do not need to be followed.
Romantic Appeal:
-Chanel perfume typically advertises either a masculine or feminine scent, with the advertisement having two actors (presumably a couple) dancing together with symbolism of romance. It insinuates the idea that the scent will make someone fall in love with you
-Romance movies usually offer very sappy stories that are typically enjoyed by people who want to experience that kind of love
Sex Appeal:
-Perfume ads like Chanel can also be used for a sex appeal, as it offers the idea that the scent will make you appear more attractive to your partner, or people, and typically advertisements with this goal in mind will set the mood for it (Grey color scheme, seductive music in the background)
-Lingerie advertisements will have models posing in seductive ways and the advertisement will also set the mood for its appeal
Gender appeal:
-Women’s hygiene products. It’s usually advertised with a “floral, clean, lovely” scent and pushes the idea that women have to smell like nature
-Old Spice commericials. Its entire selling point is its appeal to making men smell more masculine