Using Sex To Sell Sex
By Bret McBride
Comm 171
March 29, 2005
Sex sells. There is nothing particularly new or surprising about that statement. Advertisers have been using that basic concept for as long as they have been advertising. One fairly recent reincarnation of this idea was an ad for Agent Provocateur lingerie starring Kyle Minogue. The ad shows Kyle riding a mechanical bull while wearing sexy lingerie. While a casual viewer might simply see this as a fairly obvious ploy to use an attractive female to sell underwear, there is a lot more going on here. Agent Provocateur is not selling lingerie in the ad. They are selling sex. More interestingly, they are using sex to sell sex. To explore this further, this paper will look at images in the ad and how they are intended to shape the gaze of the viewer.
The advertisement begins with Kylie wearing an outfit that almost looks like a generic uniform. It is similar to clothing worn by nurses or waitresses. It even has the company name, Agent Provocateur embroidered on the front. Her hair is pulled tight in a fairly practical manner. In short, the viewer should gaze at Kylie as just another woman. For men viewing the ad, they should see an idealized version of their wives or girlfriends. They are supposed to see a woman who has a job in the real world. Women, on the other hand, are also more apt to identify with this image as nothing about Kylie looks that much different than they themselves are.
Kylie then removes the outfit to reveal a sexy bra, panty, and stocking set. However, this is not done quickly. Kylie carefully unbuttons her uniform while the camera zooms in. There is, of course, the obvious fact that a close up of a woman's breasts is appealing to men. But there is also the underlying transformation. The "any woman" of the ad's opening is metamorphing into a sexual being. She is no longer the uniformed working woman. She is now the near perfect goddess of a man's dreams. (Just near perfect - to be totally perfect she'd also have to cook a five course dinner while getting you a beer from the fridge, and massage your feet while you watch the game) Woman gazing at her see the same transformation in themselves. They see themselves going from a nurse or waitress or whatever and becoming an object of desire. By taking the time to show this process, the ad makes it easier for all viewer to more easily identify with what they are gazing at.
Next, Kylie approaches the mechanical bull. But, it's not any bull. It's covered in red velvet. The background of the room is also red, but leather rather than velvet. The color red is often used to signify desire. Viewers gazing at this image are expected to be affected by this background, to have their own desires for the images shown increase. Additionally, by having the bull and the background wall similar in color, it also helps focus the viewer on Kylie. There is just not much going on in the background that distracts the viewer from the focus of the camera. You are supposed to be looking at Kylie, so there isn't much else to be looking at.
The main part of the ad shows Kylie riding the bull. However, by watching her movements and more importantly her facial expressions, it becomes obvious she is not simply riding a bull, she's simulating sexual intercourse. She is moving up and down on the bull. She is flexing her hips. Her face shows obvious pleasure as she moves. Her hands slide up and down her body, touching various erogenous zones. Gazing at this image, viewers are expected to equate the lingerie in the ad with good sex. Agent Provocateur is trying to convince people that their underwear will help you have sex. And, to make that argument, they are showing you sex, albeit fairly expressive and idealized sex that rarely happens in reality.
This is an important point to emphasize. This ad is not simply trying to sell you lingerie. It does not mention the quality of the lingerie. It does not make any attempt to convince women viewing the ad that the lingerie is comfortable or practical. (This is probably a good idea since garter belts are rarely comfortable and definitely not practical) It does not attempt to convince men that they should buy the lingerie for their wives or girlfriends for those previously stated reasons. The ad shows the lingerie as nothing but a tool to get good sex. The underlying theme of the ad is that Agent Provocateur lingerie encourages men viewing and women wearing to engage in sex. (In other words, it'll get you laid.)
The ad closes with Kylie addressing the men of the audience. She asks them to stand up which is a humorous jab based on the idea that men viewing the ad will become obviously aroused, and therefore, be too embarrassed to stand up and reveal that arousal. This scene highlights another of the major themes that runs throughout the ad. Kylie starts as "any woman" and becomes "sexual goddess". However, at every stage of the ad, she is in control. This is a demonstration of the change in gazing that has occurred in society. It is no longer unseemly for a woman to express her sexual desires. In the ad, Kylie takes off her uniform herself. She walks over to the bull. It does not come to her. She is riding, on top, and in control, even at the height of her simulated passion. This taps into both men's desire to sometimes want to be dominated as well as a women's desire to exert more control over all aspects of their lives. It takes Kylie from being a simple object in the ad to being an active part of the entire scene.
Using sex to sell products works. In this particular ad, Agent Provocateur actually takes the next step and uses sex to sell sex with their product just becoming a means to that end. At the same time, they create a carefully crafted set of images that allow both men and women to view the ad in the most positive fashion possible. Men get to gaze at a woman who starts out as just any woman and becomes the object of their dreams. Women get to gaze at a woman who is both desirable and in control. By creating images meant to be viewed by both genders, they create a much more powerful ad. (Which in turn helps explain why there are over 6000 links on the net to see it)
