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Sex and decency in advertising

Encouragement of unsafe behavior

Promoting materialistic believes

Exploitation of vulnerable groups such as children

Use of fear in advertising

Sex and decency in advertising can be further divided into 5 categories as follows:

Controversial behavior like gambling

Promotion of offensive goods like contraceptives

Promotion of cigarettes and alcohol or porn

Using offensive appeals and vulgar language

Finally ‘sex in advertising’ which includes sexism, use of sexuality and sexual objectification.

Analysis of statistic reveals that in the UK in 1989, 4 % of 8447 complaints received where due to offensive portrayal of women. In Canada, 11 out of 66 complaints related to gender stereotyping and use of inappropriate sexuality. The article identifies inappropriate placement of advertisement as the major reason for outcry: what may be acceptable in playboy magazine that has a particular audience is not acceptable outside schools.

David Waller, kim Shayam and B. Zafar identify the attitude toward advertising of controversial products and what exactly makes them offensive/ reasons for being offensive. They conducted cross cultural study across Malaysia (Muslim), Turkey(Muslim), UK(Christian) and (New Zealand(Christian). 17 controversial products were shown; Charities, cigarettes, alcohol, condoms, female contraceptives, female hygiene products, female underwear, funeral services, gambling, guns and armaments, male underwear, pharmaceuticals, political parties, racially extremist groups, religious denominations, sexual diseases (AIDS, STD prevention); and weight loss programs. Results show that UK and New Zealand shared 11 off 17 same answers whereas Turkey and Malaysia shared 7 similar answers. European countries of Turkey and UK shared only 3 same answers. Even though Turkey and Malaysia are further apart they shared more similar answers than Turkey and UK indicating that religion impacts perception of what is considered offensive. For example Both Turkey and Malaysia see gambling as offensive because Islam prohibits gambling. (Waller and Shayam, 2003)

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