Being aroused to go out and purchase a lipstick or a car is definitely more acceptable than being sexually aroused. Seems you can't use sex to sell sex, but you can quite happily use sex to sell stuff. (Squires et al. 2000).

We don't mind nudity if there is a very good reason for it, such as sex, bathing, or autopsy. The problem is, advertising seldom presents a very good reason for it. (Garfield, 1999).

Pornography:

Material that depicts men and women as sexual beings with the purpose of sexually arousing mostly male desire in a way that reflects and helps to maintain the subordination of women.

Conventions of Pornography (Kuhn) (are these found in mainstream fashion advertising?)

1. Hierarchy

Man above, behind, in power over woman

Women as children/child like

Away from the camera

The Invitation

Dismemberment or body-chopping in ads occurs more frequently for women than men. Women's bodies without heads, faces or feet lead us to believe that all that truly matters about woman lies between her neckand her knees (Cortese, 1999).

2. Objectification

"human being, through social means, is made less human, turned into a thing or commodity, bought, and sold"

Feminine touch

Bits and pieces

3. Submission

Stereotype of deference

Lowering self

Voyeurism

Scopophilia

Caught unaware

Size, attention, positioning

Three basic techniques used to establish superiority or power are size, attention, and positioning. People in charge of their own lives typically stand up straight, alert and ready to meet the world. In contrast, the bending of the body conveys unpreparedness and submissiveness (Goffman, 1976).

 Dear Mom and Dad - got my first modeling job...

4. Violence

When it becomes systematic, endemic enough to be unremarkable and normative

First 3 contribute to this

Hard core crossovers

"...by creating a climate within which the marketing of women's bodies&emdash;the sexual sell and dismemberment, distorted body image ideals, and children as sex objects&emdash;is seen as acceptable." Jean Kilbourne

Findings

(1) portrayals of women as girls that thereby sexualizes children,

(2) normalization of violence,

(3) undermining of positive images and artful representations

(4) wide availability of these images.

When women are shown in positions of powerlessness, submission, and subjugation the message to men is clear. Women are always available as the targets of aggression and violence, they are inferior to men and thus deserve to be dominated, and women exist to fulfill the needs of men.

(Kilbourne, 1999).

Too often advertising people are sent the message that "the more rude and shocking you can be, the more successful you'll be in advertising." Keith Reinhard CEO, DDB Worldwide

Questions for copywriters to ask of their ads (Reinhard):

What is the real intent of the ad?

Is the content relevant? "breasts are important if you're selling sports bras. They are not important to the sales of beer."

Where & when will the message appear?

How artfully is the material presented?

Would I be proud to have my name associated with it or tell my daughter I created it?

Positive images

What can we do?

http://www.about-face.org