Sex in Advertising

Lesson objective:

Grade level and subject area:

Activities and strategies:

1. The students or teacher collect a number of advertisements showing men and women. These can be print or television advertisements.
2. Ask the students what kinds of images come to mind.
3. List their responses. The qualities of a stereotypical "man" and "woman" should emerge.
4. Ask the students:
   • Do the advertisements confuse the product with sex appeal? Why or why not?
   • Do the advertisements show people who may not have as much sex appeal? Why or why not?
5. Explain to students that advertisers use specific techniques to get consumers to buy their products.
6. Ask students what kind of a role sex appeal has in these techniques. The following ideas can be introduced with current examples:

• Friendship/Having Fun
  • Technique: People are shown using this product with attractive, fun-loving friends.
  • Message: This product will make you popular, especially with the opposite sex, and will help you have a good time.
• Fitness and Health
  • Technique: Advertisements show people using a product during outdoor activities.
  • Message: Young, healthy, active people use this product. If you use it you too can be young and healthy.
• Taking a Risk
  • Technique: Advertisements suggest that people who use a certain product aren't afraid to take risks and aren't worried about others' opinions.
  • Message: Buying this product shows you are brave and you think for yourself.

Resources and materials:

Suggested by Vickie Holloway, Laura Versaci, Julie James, and outlined in: Lions-Quest: Skills for Adolescence (1992).

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This document was last updated 6/1/97 by Chandra Hawley.
Copyright1996 Indiana University - Center for Adolescent Studies, all rights reserved.
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