Oldřich Vávra from the Prague University of Economics focuses on the development of advertising in other industries, and this time he describes the history of sexuality in advertising.
The use of sexuality in advertising is a phenomenon that never ceases to fascinate. It is constantly evolving as social and legal norms, morals, and cultural values change. Advertising has always not only reflected but also shaped perceptions of beauty and ideals of desire.
After World War II, a strong conservative atmosphere prevailed in advertising in the US and Western Europe. The main goal was to restore the economy and promote traditional family values. Sexual themes and explicit nudity were taboo.
Women were almost exclusively portrayed as housewives, mothers, or charming but demure partners, always well-groomed and smiling. Men were portrayed as breadwinners, strong and responsible.
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During this period, socialist realism prevailed in Czechoslovakia, and advertising served primarily to provide information about products (often in short supply) and to educate conscious citizens. In fact, it was not really advertising, except perhaps in the case of exports to capitalist countries or when presenting the achievements of the socialist system, for example at the Expo exhibition.
Any mention of sex, gestures or innuendo, whether more or less hidden, were considered decadent and capitalist. The depiction of women and men was strictly in line with the ideology of the working people.
The 1960s brought significant social changes, including the so-called sexual revolution. Provocation became a typical feature of communication in the West, and advertisements began to feature double entendres and erotic tones.
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Women were sexy, and a new motif of "free" women enjoying life emerged. Miniskirts, bold makeup, and previously unacceptable, more relaxed poses were depicted. The effort to defy convention was obvious. Nudity remained taboo, but clothing became smaller and revealed more skin, especially on the legs and arms.
Advertisements for underwear began to appear, which were no longer just cartoons communicating functionality. Eroticism began to emerge as a selling point.
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In Czechoslovakia, liberalization did not really take hold until the second half of the 1960s, especially during the Prague Spring. There was a noticeable effort to modernize advertising, which, although not entirely functional, began to appear, especially in the advertising materials of foreign trade companies.
Sexual motifs were still mostly in the form of hints and symbolism. Contemporary advertising materials and product packaging for brands such as Elite, Evona, Pleas, Jitex, and Triola increasingly used images of women's legs, curves, and bare skin.
In the 1970s, the trend toward liberalization continued in the West, but at the same time, the feminist movement began to grow, based on criticism of the sexist portrayal of women in advertising. This period was characterized by a paradoxical situation: advertising was becoming more daring, but at the same time it was under scrutiny by critics. Women were often depicted as sexual objects, but at the same time, advertisements appeared that sought to respond to feminist ideas and show women as strong and independent.
Typical clichés were "sexy assistants" or "housewives" longing for shinier floors. The image of the strong, hard-working "man" persisted, but hints of "softness" or "vulnerability" began to appear in connection with caring for the family. The depiction of male nudity was still rare.
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In Czechoslovakia, after the relaxation of restrictions and the subsequent invasion in 1968, there was a return to strict ideological control, and advertising once again focused on functionality, patriotism, construction, ideology, education, and traditional family values.
In the domestic environment, this is most visible in products that facilitate housework, cooking, cleaning, or fashion. In other words, in connection with very conservative and stereotypically feminine themes and roles. With a few exceptions, sexual motifs have practically disappeared.
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In the 1980s, the saying "sex sells" became almost a mantra in the Western world. It was a decade of aggressive capitalism, characterized by the advent of the MTV phenomenon and the development of music videos. Sexuality became an integral part of pop culture, and advertising was quick to adopt this opportunity.
It was a time of supermodels and luxury goods. Female nudity was still not fully explicit, but it was used much more frequently, especially in advertisements for perfume, jeans, and underwear. Bodies were often idealized, with men portrayed as symbols of strength, success, and sometimes as "bad boys." It should be noted that this was a period of increased interest in bodybuilding and aerobics, with prominent celebrities and idols who were well suited for advertising.
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The first advertisements began to appear in which the male body was also treated as an object, albeit to a much lesser extent than women. Billboards and magazines featured bodies in provocative poses and contexts of striking synthetic colors that attracted attention.
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In 1980s Czechoslovakia, advertising defined by the normalization's genderless spirit continued to languish. It continued to be used primarily in foreign trade and, to a minimal extent, for consumer goods on the domestic market, where the connection between the depiction of the body and the functionality of the advertised products in the fields of cosmetics, perfumery, fashion, etc. was justifiable.
However, the use of women as sex symbols, without any connection to the product, also appeared sporadically. Although this was a gender stereotype, the erotic undertones were often perceived at the time as a sign of the loosening of the ideological dictates of normalization.
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Advertising functioned more or less as a tolerated formal backdrop, documenting the declared standard of living of workers, rather than as a fully-fledged marketing tool. Although efforts to modernize the form were evident, the content remained strongly ideological, non-market-oriented, and largely asexual.
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The 1990s were marked by the phenomenon of "shocking advertising," particularly by the Benetton brand, which successfully used controversial social issues to attract attention. Other companies followed suit. Sexual content became more explicit, but at the same time, there were attempts to subvert traditional gender stereotypes.
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The public and company management began to pay more attention to the ethical aspects of advertising, and the first internal codes of conduct appeared. Self-regulation began to play a significant role and gradually became stricter. This was particularly true in connection with the spread of negative phenomena in the population, such as anorexia and bulimia, which accompanied an increased interest in the body and its presentation.
In the Czech Republic, after the fall of communism in 1989, there was a rapid rise in Western-style advertising. This came as a huge shock, as advertisements featuring nudity and sexuality, which had previously been unheard of, suddenly appeared. The Czech environment adapted Western trends, often without any previous experience with them. This led to the wild 1990s, when sex and nudity appeared in advertising on a large scale, often without any greater concept, just to attract attention.
Source: YouTube
In the new millennium, with the development of the internet, advertising opportunities have expanded immensely. Advertising using sexual themes has become even more accessible and explicit. Nudity, both female and male, has been used more frequently, not only for underwear, swimwear, or perfume, but also for products that have nothing to do with eroticism at first glance.
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The first major campaigns were withdrawn due to controversial content. The Czech Advertising Council began to play a more important role in assessing the ethics of advertising. Nudity and sexual references on billboards and in public spaces were still present, but caution was growing.
With the development of social media and the movement for inclusion and diversity, advertising began to focus more on realism and authenticity. Criticism of objectification (especially of the female body) intensified again, and many brands began to specifically create campaigns that depicted different body types, gender identities, and sexual orientations.
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Nudity was no longer as explicit and focused more on "self-confidence" and "naturalness." When it did appear, it was often associated with the celebration of the human body as such, rather than as a mere sexual object.
The previously emerging body positivity movement, which embraced diversity and did not emphasize a single ideal, was already evident. The male body, although still sexualized, was often associated with self-care or even sensitivity. Ethics committees and advertising councils in Europe and the US continued to tighten their codes of ethics.
These global trends emerged in the Czech Republic with a certain delay. However, advertising in our country is now also strongly influenced by an emphasis on authenticity, gender fluidity and corporate social responsibility. Direct, overt nudity continues to decline in marketing, replaced by more subtle depictions of sexuality, often associated with intimacy, emotion, and expressed respect.
Source: YouTube
Advertising strives to speak to a diverse audience and avoid stereotypes. Gender roles are even more blurred and often questioned. Nudity, if present at all, is often incorporated into the context with some artistic intent. There are still exceptions, most of which use stereotypes and sex deliberately and effectively from a business perspective.
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The ethical side of advertising is regulated by public oversight, self-regulatory bodies, and internal company departments. The legislative framework is constantly evolving to regulate potentially harmful content, especially in light of rapidly spreading new technological possibilities.
Advertising has always balanced on the edge of perception and taste, and regardless of its form and content, human fascination with sexuality remains a powerful marketing tool. As in the past, the role of sexuality will continue to be redefined in line with evolving social norms and technologies.
Author: Oldřich Vávra, Department of Marketing, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Economics, Prague
Source: mediaguru.cz
