It’s no secret that advertisers have been bombarding the public with provocative ads for years in an attempt to grab the consumer’s attention for just a moment more. Ford, Proctor and Gamble, Axe, GoDaddy, etc; they have all run campaigns that have pushed the limits, and in most cases, been exceedingly successful.

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Photo Taken From Capinor.com - Click to Go to their Website

But would Sex Appeal increase Circuit Board sales?? There are a variety of angles (or curves) that you have to consider. I welcome you to join the debate in the comments section of this article. We’re very interested in what you have to say.

One of the most significant goals of Advertising is to increase brand recognition. You hope that when a consumer hears your name, they know your product, or that when they see/need your product, they think of you. Web Hosting – GoDaddy. Why do I know GoDaddy so well? I watched the Superbowl. Oh, and there’s the GoDaddy girl.

The sex appeal of various advertisements however, do not necessarily relate to the product being promoted. In my research on this topic, I have run across a ton of ads that sex appeal seems so out of place. Vacuums, Toilet Paper, Web-Hosting, the Nissan Pathfinder.

I think the key is to know your market. Your Target Market is more of an indication of whether you should air a risque ad. Scott Allensolardress from About.com writes in his article Sex Sells? Oh Really? that "One thing’s for sure — to include sexuality in your advertising will almost certainly alienate some of your audience, but done well, may be more memorable and effective. Don’t be afraid to polarize your audience, though. It’s far better to be loved by some and hated by others than to be forgotten by everyone." But what percentage of our Customer Base would we cause to hate us?

I would personally want to be aware of the fine line between Attraction and Association. You want to attract a potential customer to your Ad/Product, but you may not necessarily want them to associate your products/brand with something racy, crude, irrelevant, provocative, etc. This ties in closely with Brand Recognition. What are you known for? What do people think of when they think of you? Do they think of professionalism and prestige as one might when they think of Goldman-Sachs? Do they think cutting edge/contemporary like Sharper Image?

My opinion is that that since the Circuit Board industry is very B2B oriented, as well as government and big business focused, sexy won’t sell. In a large consumer market, the odds and tastes are in your favor, but trying to secure a deal for 2000 Mil-Spec Circuit Boards with the Chief Purchasing Officer for a Prime Contractor by flashing some skin will only hurt.

What are your thoughts?