Sex doesn’t sell – it’s too distracting

The old advertising maxim that sex sells has been blown apart by a new study which claims that not only is it a nonsense, running raunchy ads can even have a negative impact.
Researchers from the American Psychological Association analysed 53 studies featuring 8,489 participants carried out last year.
They found that using sex – and even violence – in ads does attract viewers’ attention, but that consumers get so wrapped up in the filth that they ignore the product that is being advertised.
“We found almost no evidence that violent and sexual programmes and ads increased advertising effectiveness,” the co-author of the study, Brad Bushman, professor of communication and psychology at The Ohio State University.
It can even be counterproductive as “memory, attitudes and buying intentions all decrease”.
The authors said: “It’s not that people aren’t attracted to sex and violence. On the contrary, people have been attracted since evolutionary times. However, it’s at the expense of surrounding content. People pay more attention to the violence and sex surrounding ads than to the products.”
“Our findings have tremendous applied significance, especially for advertisers,” Professor Bushman said. “Advertisers should think twice about sponsoring violent and sexual programmes, and about using violent and sexual themes in their ads.”