Sex Sells: Sexuality in Advertising

Since the inventions of television and radio, audiences have been bombarded with advertisements every seven to ten minutes. These ads did not by any means create stereotypes, but by being created to relate to a wide target audience, they help to perpetuate them. Over centuries our concepts of aesthetic beauty have changed, but only until more recently were they so similar across a wide geographic spread at the same time. Is this coincidence, or has our increased communication ability fostered a more universal ideal? From shampoo to cosmetics to clothing, over the years our sense of style and our sense sexuality have become more closely intertwined.
In order to better understand the role of advertisers in defining our notions of beauty and sexuality, it will be necessary to analyze and deconstruct ads that portray products in a sexual manner. An excellent example that everyone should recognize is the "Herbal Essences" shampoo commercial. A gorgeous lady in professional attire is apparently having a long day at work. She sits behind a mahogany desk with a computer in front of her, her hair tied back into a tight bun, hard at work. Suddenly, she drifts into a day dream. …