Marketing Communications

222 CHAPTER 7 ADVERTISING

it become.^78 In other words, functional products such as underwear, bath foam, shower

cream, etc., and romantic products such as perfume, aft ershave, alcohol, cosmetics, etc., are

expected to benefi t more from an erotic appeal than other product categories such as coff ee,

a lawnmower, a lathe, etc. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a study in which the eff ectiveness

of eroticism for social marketing topics (as diverse as eating healthily, public library and

museum attendance, HIV/AIDS prevention, etc.) was tested showed that sexual appeals were

more persuasive than matched non-sexual appeals.^79 So for this variable research results are

also inconclusive.

Which target group can most eff ectively be addressed with an erotic appeal? One study

shows that erotic appeals lead to better memory and superior attitudes and purchase intent

Photo 7.4 Using erotic appeal for underwear

Source : The Advertising Archives.

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