Sex Sells

Everyday when I wake up I quickly take a shower, and brush my teeth I do this because I see it as the normal thing to do. I’m sure many others do this as well, because they also see this as the normal thing to do. I also know that to be accepted into society cleanliness and personal hygiene is a must. The two advertisements that I looked at deal with personal hygiene, and once you achieve the perfect personal hygiene you will receive beautiful women, and sex. So in other words with messages that convey that certainly proves that sex does sell. Axe body spray, which always keeps you smelling nice, and Dentyne Fire Mints that help prevent nasty bad breath. These are two examples where companies have used the tactic of “sex sells” and have become successful.



When viewing the axe body spray advertisement it simply starts off with a beautiful women running through the woods, acting almost animalistic and like she is on the hunt for something. The advertisement then cuts to more women running through the woods also having this animalistic look to their faces, then to more women swimming. All the women are dressed in very skimpy bathing suits, which instantly draws the viewer’s attention. The advertisement second to last shot is of a very happy and shirtless man spraying himself down with axe body spray. The advertisement finishes with a strong message “Spray more, Get More, The axe effect”. Due to the ads powerful statement, they are suggesting that with the use of there product you will be able to get beautiful women in your life, just by the way that you smell. As long as you smell of Axe Body spray you will have women “hunting” for you because of the way you smell. Axe Body spray does a good job in knowing what today’s society wants. I would say that smelling good is a very high priority on many girls “I’m attracted to this” list. By maintaining good personal hygiene with the use of axe body spray, all the women you could imagine will be yours that is essentially what the advertisement is conveying. So as the viewer is watching they have the desire to smell good, so they can gain this same feeling of having women “running to them”. In this case the idea of sex sells.



Following my viewing of the Dentyne Fire Mints commercial I can see how sex sells. Simply have two average looking human beings purchasing the same mint in an average looking convenient store that anyone of us could go to. The background music is a very calm and unexciting. Instead of just leaving it at that they then have the women purchase a candle. Once the man sees the candle he buys massaging oil. The woman then buys bubble bath. He then buys an energy drink called “up” and she finishes with buying a disposable camera. Each item that both of them see the other one buy, you can see that they are getting turned on. After they had their back-to-back purchasing “war” they then begin to make out. This advertisement is then suggesting by buying a pack of mints, and trying them will get you some unexpected attention. The idea that is being conveyed about it being an average situation makes it very relatable to the viewer. It is message that is placed within the advertisement that is suggesting sex. In this case sex sells because of that.

After viewing both advertisements that are using the tactic of “Sex sells” I really do believe that sex does help sell products. I would say that among my male friends axe body spray is one of the most popular used by them. I think they don’t buy it for the smell alone but they have seen the many advertisements that Axe Body spray has produced, all of them using the sex sells tactic. Axe knows that there targeted consumers are young males, and most young males want a beautiful women (or multiple) attracted to them. With the Dentyne Fire Mints, who wouldn’t want a mint to cause that in a convenient store? Unexpected sex can sell as well. Knowing that a mint can do all that must mean that is powerful. These are two examples of many advertisements that are successfully using the “sex sells” tactic to have consumers purchase their product.



Amber Blanchard