What's wrong with being sexy?

In our newsletter, the ELATED Extra this week I talk about a recent job which used a photo to illustrate a site selling retail space, with the tagline "Make them shop til they drop". The idea was to use the language of retail to inform a campaign for retail space. Here's the photo I was going to use:

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_closeup/concepts-and-ideas/consumerism/6366553-shopping-woman.php?id=6366553

The client complained that this opened them up to accusations of sexism. I thought it was maybe a bit "sexy", but otherwise pretty tame, but what do you think? Sound off here!

Simon

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Hi Simon,

Whatever is 'sexist' about a woman who likes shopping? Women like to shop. Some of them like to shop a lot. That's no prejudice, that's a fact!

We are living in a world that's getting more prudish and more careful by the year. What is wrong about pictures of good looking women? Why should managers decide what the public should like or disapprove?

Having said that I must add that I don't really like the picture that much. The woman's legs don't really look tired, they look amputated! And her expression is not really convincing. I would have laid her on her back and put her purchases under her head, as a huge pillow. Yeah, that would have been even more sexist, eh sexy.

Simon and Matt, keep up the good work. I really like your designs and newsletter. If you want to see what your work looks like in Dutch, visit:
http://www.digitaalfotograferen.net

Andrew



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Wikipedia credits the saying to "Nigel Tufnel (1945-) [who] is the fictional lead guitarist of the rock band Spinal Tap featured in the 1984 mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap. He is played by actor Christopher Guest."

I did not see the film (and probably won't ever), but there are some other interesting quotes from Nigel at the Wikipedia entry Nigel Tufnel.

For example, "We've got Armadillos in our trousers. It's really quite frightening."

Jim Swanson

Shout out to Jim! Although, in truth, you're cheating by looking it up ; ). It is, by the way, a great film. If you're at all interested in the internal dynamics of bands, it's unbeatable. It's a spoof, but it might as well be a documentary for most bands!

Andrew. You're right, it's not the best pic, but I was only doing it as an initial discussion piece really, but as I say in the newsletter, it never even made it into that process! Ah well..

Simon

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Sexism is an easy bandwagon to jump on, but it is usually younger women still feeling they need to defend their territory that do the jumping. As a designer and a woman, I am just not that worried about it any longer. The woman is good looking. All people respond positively to good looking women. If I had more money, I would shop like my sister does...I see nothing sexist in this concept.

If sexism is bad in advertising, then the current crop of beer commercials simply would not be on the air- hot chicks in bikinis beckoning with chilled pints...and don't kid yourself about the income and education level of beer drinkers.

I think there has actually been a slow backlash (can I say that?) to politically correct advertising; I see evidence of it all the time. Often using humour to show both or all sides of [insert politically charged ism here]to deliver a message, it can be intelligent and effective and assumes the audience can think long enough to see past the issues.

Fair points all, Holycow. If I had money, I too would shop like your sister..

Simon

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