SEXUAL APPEALS IN TELEVISION ADVERTISING
Need help with a related project topic or New topic? Send Us Your Topic
DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE PROJECT MATERIAL
SEXUAL APPEALS IN TELEVISION ADVERTISING
Chapter one
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Many studies have been conducted throughout the years to investigate the effect of physical attractiveness on communication effectiveness and attitude change.
However, the presentation of sex appeals in television advertising has gotten little consideration (Downs & Harrison, 1985; Lovdal, 1989; Sole & Kurzbard, 1986).
In example, experts have yet to adequately investigate how teenagers are portrayed in television advertising. Unlike publications, television is subject to indecency rules due to its widespread reach.
As a result, the margin for sexiness in television ads is substantially smaller than that in print advertisements (Lin, 1997). The use of sex appeals in ads extends back to the beginning of advertising (Trachtenberg, 1986).
Although this study does not investigate the benefits of physically attractive speakers, their ubiquitous use shows Madison Avenue’s belief in the efficacy of such appeals.
The study of content analysis of teenage television advertising has become a particularly fascinating topic of academic research, and as a result, there has been an increase in research in this area in recent years. The entire concept of the content analysis was around understanding the commercial processes involved when teenagers read advertisements.
This also addresses how youngsters perceive and respond to these commercials. Content analysis was the research methodology commonly used to investigate the environment of children’s television advertising.
It was thus a relatively new methodology for consumer research in the 1970s, but it was already widely used in other research fields such as political science, journalism, social psychology, and communications research (Alexander et al., 1998; Mc Neal, 1987; Kasserjian, 1977). Researchers have paid relatively little attention to the study of content analysis.
However, it is worth noting the prior work in this field by researchers such as Winick et al. (1973), Barcus (1975), Dolittle and Pepper (1975), and Cotunga (1988). Alexander et al. (1988) and Tseng (2001) present revised versions of these older works.
Previous content analysis studies focused mostly on what is advertised, but current research has attempted to investigate what is said to children and how it is said (Palan and Lacznicak, 1988).
This sexual revolution can be witnessed in a variety of changes in society and women’s attitudes towards sexual culture between 1995 and 2005. Pop icons such as Britney Spears appeared in more naked music videos (Levy, 2005), but Christina Aguilera borrowed from pornographic codes in her self-presentation with a single and album titled ‘Dirty’ and ‘Stripped’ (Gill, 2008).
MTV has been accused of airing music videos with sexist and sexual content (Gan, Mitrook, and Zillmann, 1997). The National Coalition on Television Violence, Women Against Pornography, and church groups all objected to sex and violence in music videos (Swan, 1985).
Parents were likewise outraged, blaming music and videos for glorifying drugs and sex and demeaning women (Alexander, 1990; McCormack, 1985).
Ad content analysis is a useful approach for forecasting and understanding advertising success. Not only in advertising study, but also in general media-effects research, it is commonly accepted that the recipient’s interpretation of media material enhances or reduces its impact.
One major factor influencing the effectiveness of a persuasive message is the delight elicited by its substance. As a result, content analysis of advertising can be a valuable tool for improving our understanding of advertising efficacy.
Statement of the Problem
To this goal, we analysed the appeals that appear in advertising addressed at various target groups. An appeal can be viewed as one of the most fundamental and concrete signs of advertisers’ underlying tactics for reaching various audience segments.
Furthermore, an advertising appeal can be defined as the persuasive method used by the advertiser to make the product appealing to the consumer. It refers to how a commercial addresses specific likes and/or preferences of a target audience.
Based on this, the researcher wishes to explore sexual appeals in television advertising by conducting a content analysis of commercials aimed at teenagers on DStv station (MTV base).
Need help with a related project topic or New topic? Send Us Your Topic