1.Researchers analysed 78 studies published over more than three decades
2.They found people remember ads with sexual appeals more than those without
3.This does not extend to the brands or products featured in the campaign
4.Consumers are no more likely to buy a product that is marketed with sex
5.For women, sexualised ad campaigns proved an active turn off
The age-old adage that sex sells may not be as accurate as we assume, according to new research.
Images of scantily clad women and sexually suggestive themes are a long-standing staple of advertising campaigns.
But researchers have found that, while we may remember adverts that use sexuality, this doesn’t result in an increased desire to buy what’s on offer.
Researchers from the University of Illinois analysed 78 peer-reviewed studies published over more than three decades, which looked at the effects of sexual appeals in advertising.
By studying a wide range of publications, using a technique called meta-analysis, the researchers hoped to detect trends not immediately apparent in individual papers.
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