How Sex in Advertising Varies by Product Category: An Analysis of Three Decades of Visual Sexual Imagery in Magazine Advertising

Abstract

This study documents the presence and prevalence of visual sexual imagery in advertising for different product categories through an analysis of 3,232 ads in six mainstream magazines from the years 1983, 1993, and 2003. Ads were coded for sexual imagery on two visual dimensions, model dress and physical contact, and for product category using the Rossiter–Percy Planning Grid (RPPG) as a theoretical framework. Findings revealed that visual sexual imagery increased from 1983 (15%) to 2003 (27%), with much of that growth driven by increases in alcohol, entertainment, and beauty advertising. Of 18 product categories, those containing the highest percentage of visual sexual content included health/hygiene (38%), beauty (36%), drugs/medicine (29%), and clothing (27%). Overall, visual sexual imagery was most prevalent in ads for low-involvement products. As predicted, ads for informational/high-involvement products (e.g., financial, appliances, computers) contained the lowest proportion of visual sexual stimuli.