Never Ending Thoughts…

It’s not new to see Sex and Nudity in Marketing Campaigns. Sometimes it works, sometimes it works very well! But sometimes it just terribly fails because the audience felt that the company “crossed the line”. In this article I will share with you some practical scenarios that have worked in the the past in favor of companies and the ones that have terribly failed. In the end we will draw conclusion and try to find where to draw the line when it comes to using Sex and Nudity in Marketing.

Zappos – More Than Shoes!

Around six months back, Zappos, one of the leading online shoe retailers (now owned by Amazon), started this campaign that really turned every-body’s heads and eyebrows. They had their models wear tiny bikinis and thongs and took their pictures at various key locations in Manhattan. Later on the bikinis and thongs were digitally edited to be replaced by censor bars with the text “More Than Shoes!”.

Source: http://blogs.zappos.com

The pictures caught attention and went viral on the Internet. But the story doesn’t end there. The Ad was run both in print media and online. In the online version, when the viewer clicked on the picture (perhaps in the hope to see its larger version or read more about the Ad), he/she was taken to Zappos where the “actual picture” was shown in which the models were wearing bikinis and thongs. The print media also tried to give similar experience by using QR Codes. When the visitor liked the Ad and wanted to learn more, he/she could simply scan the QR Code using their smart phone and was instantly taken to Zappos’s mobile website where the actual picture with relevant deals and promotion message was shown.

Source: http://blogs.zappos.com

I believe Zappos did a great job by identifying how far they should go with sex and nudity in advertising. Their Ad Campaign caught instant attention, it didn’t spoil the company’s image, and helped change their overall image as just an online shoe retailer.

Calvin Klein – Secret Obsession Perfume Ad

Around two years back Calvin Klein launched a new steamy Ad showing actress Eva Mendes writhing topless in bed. While Calvin Klein’s aim was to promote their perfume, the Ad nearly killed their product as many viewers found the Ad too sexual and vulgar for the most audience. What did Calvin Klein do wrong? I think the biggest mistake that Calvin Klein did in that campaign is not being able to focus on their real goal – that is conveying to the audience why they should buy the Secret Obsession Perfume.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com

The Conclusion

1. It’s OK to use Sex and Nudity in Marketing as long as you keep your focus on the message, not the model.
2. Understand your target audience before using Sex and Nudity when marketing your product.
3. Remember that many people would just know you by your advertisements. They might not ever buy anything from you, but they’ll create an image of your company based on the kind of Ads they see. That’s called “building a brand”. If you choose to use Sex and Nudity in your Marketing, make it absolutely sure that it wouldn’t in any way impact your brand.

Where to draw the line when using Sex and Nudity in Marketing

Before I start this section, let me be frank. If it were that easy, then there wouldn’t have been any marketing blunders related to usage of Sex and Nudity in Marketing. The reason this happens is because it’s really hard to find that fine line. Your best bet would be to focus on your audience and your brand; start with a small focus group and get feedback from your close customers before you run the campaign. That will give you and idea where to draw the line. What do you think?