Magazines like Cosmopolitan have got it all wrong, say researchers who reckon that sex bores female magazine readers. This somewhat surprising finding comes from three University of Florida (UF) advertising professors who tested young women's emotional responses to ads featuring beautiful women from Vogue, Allure and other women's magazines. According to the researchers, the hotter the model's attire or look, the more it left the experiment's female subjects in the cold. What the college-age subjects found far more appealing than provocative sex kittens were natural, everyday types; a look the researchers describe as "wholesome".
The study clashes with the sex-drenched conventions of glossy magazine advertising, said UF's Robyn Goodman, adding that it also brings to light a disconnect between the generally male executives of companies seeking to market their products, and the female consumers they're trying so desperately to reach. "If you look at most of the Fortune 500 companies, who are they run by? Men," Goodman said. "So, you're their advertising agency and you're pitching these ideas to these men. Well, men have a very specific idea of what's beautiful."
The original goal of the study was determining what sort of models epitomized six different types of beauty - classic feminine, sensual exotic, trendy, cute, girl next door and sex kitten - that had been identified as classical advertising archetypes. The experiment itself involved more than 250 women looking at an identical set of photographs and rating the models for how well the six types described each. All of the photos had appeared in fashion magazines aimed specifically at female consumers, and included Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Allure.
The results were unambiguous. The more lustful the models' expressions and revealing their attire; the more the subject's emotional reactions revealed that they were bored or uninterested. Conversely, the more the models smiled naturally and displayed a minimum of skin, the more positive the women's reactions.
The researchers said the results may indicate that sex has become so commonplace as an advertising theme that consumers - or at least female consumers - are simply no longer interested. What's the message for advertisers? First, sex isn't a guaranteed sell. "I think advertisers would say if you show a woman a sexy picture, many of them will want to emulate it, but I think this research shows that's not true," researcher John Morris said. Goodman added that while sexual themes may be appropriate for some products and publications, it's important to think more broadly and field test potential ads with consumers. "I think you really need to think about who your audience is, who you are trying to attract and what your brand image is," Goodman said. "And if you're saying, 'Which direction should we go,' err on the side of wholesome."
Source: University of Florida
