I found these three images which brought up the idea of using sexual themes in the food advertising market.
Of course we all know that sex sells but after running into several of these advertisements in addition to some that weren't so subliminal. In the first picture you can see a female opening wide for Burger King's "Super Seven Incher". I don't think I would classify seven inches as super, but whatever does it for the company. After all, there is the foot long from Subway. In the second picture it says "O Now" then in smaller print below says "EATING ORGANIC FOOD IS ALWAYS YOUR BEST CHOICE". Due to today's pop culture "O" or "O'ing" can and is referenced in movies, television shows as a slang term for having an orgasm. If you pick apart the words and piece them together, first line and last, you get "O now is always the best choice" which is easily readable as a message of instant sexual gratification instead of waiting.
I have four minutes left, on to the third image. This image is blatantly using a sexual related image using the classic hand bra to cover two of Arby's products saying that "We're about to reveal something you'll really drool over." when normally in that position would be a woman's breasts.
I'm going to publish this, then add to it below this so it can be submitted on time.
For this particular third blog assignment we're supposed to decide what we want to argue about our three images that we chose, conveniently mine are about sex which I thoroughly enjoy I might add. So here I would guess is where I need to kind of ask myself questions as to what I could argue, or what issues these images bring to mind.
So hmmm, what situations do these pictures bring about?
1. Sex being linked with food advertising seems to be increasingly common.
issue: I think is a very effective method for getting the teenage/young adult market to try new food products.
question: How effective is this advertising technique?
2. Subliminal sexual messages can be presented as well as blatant sexual thoughts are passed in these advertisements.
issue: I feel that these advertisements could be inappropriate for certain audiences, mostly children.
question: Where are these advertisements being displayed and to what extent is the message of said advertisements being taken?
3. There are subliminal messages in food advertisements or things that can be observed as subliminal messages present.
issue: The companies that have some of the less obvious messages in their advertisements could be taking away some of their avenues of advertising based upon how consumers might interpret their advertisements.
question: Do these companies actually mean to include these messages? or are they just making mistakes because they're not considering all possible means of interpretation because they're being thought up in a think tank and not being bounced off of real world consumers for feedback?
4. Some of these companies are obviously catering to a certain audience with this type of advertising.
issue: Said companies might not be reaching their key demographic.
question: What are the key demographics for these companies that they're trying to lure in to try their new products? teenagers and young adults? young parents? parents in general? older adults that like the appeal of the sexual side of things in life?
All these questions can be answered through a thorough amount of research it seems, but I'm not here to answer all these questions. I'm here to try and think of a point or a spectrum of closely related points to argue in an essay. That being said, my main claim should at least answer or provide insight into some of these questions. As a young adult consumer I would have to say that these advertisements aren't for everyone. I really don't think a mother out looking through a magazine would want go out and buy her kids or herself a food product that is advertised via a sexual related theme and I really don't think that they need to be posted on billboards or other very public advertising places that are commonly and easily viewed by children especially ones that have a blatant sexual theme that might cause the children that see it to ask questions or that would start to imprint certain thoughts or stereotypes into their thought processes.
I would have to say the following main claim would be one of policy.
Food companies need to realize when advertising that they have an extremely wide base of consumers of all ages, even if the children and young adolescents that eat their food aren’t actually purchasing it, they’re still being exposed to the more adult themed advertisements that are being thrown at their young and impressionable minds. These companies need to take responsibility for what they put out there and should be mindful of everyone that might encounter their ads.
