This second post on types of advertising appeals covers sex and music. But if you want to read the first post in this series first, you can access it by clicking the link below:

Types of Advertising Appeals 1- Fear And Humor

Types of
Advertising Appeals
Sex

Sex sells, but it can also offend. So whether sex is effective in an advertising campaign depends much upon whether it is blatant, suggestive, or symbolic.

A scantily clad model stroking an automobile a good example of blatant sex in advertising. Such an advertisement is designed to appeal to men.

But women buy as many automobiles as men. And many women consider such commercials offensive. “Feminist women consider any advertisement demeaning if it portrays women as sex objects. Women and men, with strong religious ties, consider such advertising sinful.

So blatant sexual advertising may appeal to a target market while turning off others, who are not in the target market. For this to work, you have to deliver the message through a medium that reaches the target market, rather than through mass media.

Suggestive advertising doesn’t actually show scantily clad men or women, but leaves a sexual feeling that many people recognize. For instance, shots of a woman gently touching or stroking a man’s hand, or vice versa, is suggestive. A margarine company used this very effectively a few years ago.

Symbolic advertising uses symbols to suggest sex. Phallic symbols are the most popular. Have you seen the liquor commercial where everyone is dancing as the bartender grinds herbs in a glass. When he stops grinding, they stop dancing. When he starts again, they do too. This advertisement uses symbolic advertising effectively.

Types of
Advertising Appeals
Music

Different types of people prefer different types of music. So if you choose to use music as a type of advertising appeal, you need to know the music preferred by your target market. Choose wrong, and you can destroy your advertising campaign.

You need to consider the generation, social class and lifestyle of your target market. Each provides insights into your potential customers’ music preferences. You can get information on these demographics and many more in my e-book : Know ‘em Sell ‘em: How To Discover The Best Appeals For Your Target Market.

If you are creating a radio advertisement, most radio sales people can provide demographic characteristics of their listeners. Talk to one for each radio format and ask for this information. Select the format that best reaches your target market. Then use that kind of music in your advertisement and run your advertisement on stations with that music format.

Another choice is to use generic music or music that crosses radio formats. This can be a good choice for advertisements intended for mass audiences. But it’s not as effective as catering to your target market’s music preference.

To learn more about getting the best return on your marketing investment, see Claude Hopkins Advertising. Claude specializes in advertising, copywriting and marketing secrets for tested, measurable, and scientific advertising.

The next post in this series covers two more types of advertising appeals – rational and emotional. You can link to it below:
Types of Advertising Appeals 3

If you like this series, you can get first notice of my new series by completing the form below:

Posted 8-27-08:
Types of Advertising Appeals 2
Sex And Music

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