(Disclaimer: while not directly related to real estate – I thought this topic would make for interesting discussion)
Sex Sells
For decades that’s been a mantra. We are accustomed to seeing pretty people and sexy scenes in aspirational marketing efforts. But a Bud Light commercial, released via YouTube, has me wondering: Are marketers are crossing the line, or has porn become so mainstream that it’s no longer considered taboo. Go ahead, watch ….
YouTube Airing of Bud Light Commercial:
(Note: I laughed out loud at the commercial.)
Porn Creep
It has a name, and you see it coming from a number of brands that are reaching out to a youthful audience. Think: Paris Hilton’s Carl’s Jr. commercial, or the banned ads from Calvin Klein that reek of exploited children– you can see them on YouTube (BTW – so can young kids).
It seems brands, including Budweiser – who each Super Bowl tugs at our hearts with the Clydesdale commercials – are willing to alienate one segment to reach out to another, who they must consider core to the product.
Pornified Generation?
According to some anti-pornography experts, we now have a whole generation that doesn’t think this is a big deal. Ok. I get where the target audience of beer is likely a younger man looking to enjoy himself – which can reasonably include alcohol and sex.
What about young kids?
Does this force discussion before it’s time? Perhaps a parent considers a child too young to broach a particular subject – yet now has little choice.
Could this create even more pressure on young people? I’m not a parent, so I can’t speak with relevant experience, so I ask you to weigh in.
My thoughts go to tweens, and their natural curiosity about “trying things” like drinking, maybe smoking, drug use … Does porn creep add group sex, sexual same-sex interaction and other items to the menu creating a whole new level of peer pressure?
I understand the marketers’ plight. We need to create wins that lead to revenue. Sometimes that win is controversy, as it creates conversation, press coverage and interest. Even as open as I am, I wonder if we really need to be so sensational. Hulu launched with humor, and it’s skewed toward a younger demographic.
What about real estate?
I hear of bikini clad brokers on billboards … could real estate reach a tipping point where lines begin to blur? I doubt it, but then again, I never thought I’d watch an ad from Budweiser that included vibrators…
