J. Y.

June 7, 1996

Writing - McKercher

Ad Analysis Term Paper

The Strange Chemistry of Seagram's and 7-UP

Sexually suggestive imagery is a powerful device employed by advertisers to create an irresistible attraction between the product and targeted consumers. Through connecting sexual ideas with a given product, advertisers hope to cloud the distinction between product and flesh, real product function and sexual satisfaction.** In associating a product with sex, advertisers alter the idea of the product in the mind of the consumer, and, in doing so, alter the reaction of the consumer to the product. Many consumers are aware that advertisers use sexually suggestive imagery to promote their products. After all, the presence of these images is, for many, difficult to ignore. However, a consumer's mere awareness of sexually suggestive imagery is not sufficient to render even the most perceptive consumer immune to emotional and instinctual appeals in advertisements.

Human minds function on both conscious and subconscious levels; human behavior, including the purchase of a product, is affected by both the conscious and subconscious levels of mind. Psychologist Carl Jung, in his book Man and His Symbols, writes:

Every concept in our conscious mind, in short, has its own psychic associations. While such associations may vary in intensity...they are capable of changing the "normal" character of that concept. It may even become something quite different as it drifts below the level of consciousness. (Jung 29)

Thus, while many individuals may not feel themselves being persuaded to purchase a product by sexually suggestive imagery in the product's advertisement, such persuasion is likely occurring on a subconscious level, away from the consumerís awareness. Through forcing the consumer's mind to either consciously or subconsciously associate a given product with sexual satisfaction, advertisers are able to use the instinctual drives of human beings to effect the consumerís decision to purchase a product

Through relying on the human mind's tendency to associate seemingly unrelated concepts, advertisers, through sexual imagery, suggest to the consumer that a product will improve chances for personal sexual satisfaction and successful romantic endeavors. Whether or not this sexual connection is rational does little to mitigate the effect of the connection on the consumer's decision to purchase the product. Richard F. Taflinger, PhD, a psychologist at Washington State University, discusses advertisers' use of sexual imagery to encourage men to buy products. "...in advertising, it is easy to get a man's attention by using women's bodies and associate getting the woman if [the male consumer] buys the product. It is playing on [the male consumer's] instinctive rather than intellectual view of the world" (Taflinger 4). Advertisers hope to bypass the rational minds of the consumers to reach them on a more emotional and primitive level. Thus, despite the rational mind's assumed immunity to being manipulated by sexual imagery, an advertiser's attempts to manipulate minds often reach the consumer's subconscious mind, appealing to primitive and instinctual drives.**

Suggestive imagery assisted by suggestive slogans function to build a variety of overlapping connections in the consumer's mind between a product and sex. If the campaign is successful, these connections will overwhelm the consumer, disguising any shortcomings in the product itself, and ultimately lead to the purchase and consumption of the product.** Though often quite obvious, sexual suggestions in product promotion often take more subtle forms. Thus, in assessing the sexual suggestions present in advertisements, attention must be given to facial expressions, object shape and placement within the ad, and the situations of persons within the ad, as well as the more obvious suggestions made by bare flesh and close bodies. An advertisement promoting the mixture of Seagram's Seven Crown Whiskey and Seven-Up citrus soda relies heavily on sexually suggestive imagery to encourage the consumer to purchase the products. The devices used to connect these beverages with sex will be examined to understand advertisers' reliance on sexual imagery to promote products not directly related to sex.

The advertisement jointly promoting Seagram's and 7-UP is rich in sexual suggestions. These suggestions are so densely distributed throughout the ad that the true issue at hand, the flavor of the 7-UP and Seagram's mixed drink, is hidden, if not entirely eliminated from the consumer's imagination. One must read the finely printed trademark information in the lower left-hand corner of the ad to discover that Seagram's Seven Crown is indeed whiskey; this rather important information is found no where in the main portion of the ad itself. The nature of the beverages themselves are placed in the shadows of the sexual suggestions.

The Seagram's\7-UP advertisement contains a giant glass presumably containing a mixture of the two beverages. Three men and two women are happily lounging on the ice cubes in a variety of positions. Under examination, these positions and facial expressions demonstrate the advertisers' use of subtle suggestions to connect their beverage with sexual activity.

On the left of the giant glass, a man, casually dressed in a red coat and denim jeans, lays on an ice cube next to a pair of woman's high heels, his 7&7 in one hand, his other hand pulling down his sunglasses so that the consumer can view his eyes. With his eyebrows raised and a smug grin on his face, the man in the red coat is letting the consumer in on his secret sexual agenda. In front of the man, a barefoot woman stands with a gaping grin and glazed eyes holding a large red stirring device. The man's reclining position next to the standing shoeless woman is suggestive of the physical interaction that will soon follow. The giant bottles of Seagram's and 7-UP in the background suggest that it is the beverage combo that makes the sexual interaction possible. The woman smiles at the camera as if to say "Thank you 7&7!"

As the reader's gaze shifts to the right, attention is drawn towards another happy couple. A man, also dressed casually, sits on an ice cube with his 7&7 drink in hand and oddly positioned in the center of his pelvis as if to either disguise or represent his erection. The man's smiling face is turned to his side as he glances at the female body standing beside him. The woman behind is dressed in red and has one arm placed behind her head, her mouth wide open, and her other arm extended. The hand of the extended arm is knotted in a fist with the index finger extended outward as if she were pointing at something. However, there is no target for her pointing and none of her glass mates are gazing in the direction of her extended finger. Upon close examination, her knotted fist and extended index finger resemble a scrotum and accompanying erection which she is excitedly directing her attention toward, mouth wide open. The placement of the man, 7&7 filled glass in hand and in a position suggestive of an erect penis, behind a wide mouthed woman cannot be overlooked and interpreted as purely random placements and gestures. These arrangements are deliberately constructed by the advertisers to connect their beverage product with sexual activity.

The men paired with the two females appear to be calm and controlled, casually dressed, relaxed and aware. The women, however, appear loose and excited--dressed formally, though exhibiting much less self-restraint than the two men. The easily distinguished demeanors of the two genders reveal the audience of young men targeted by this advertisement. The advertisers wish to portray 7&7 as an elixir capable of rendering women happy and vulnerable, all the while leaving men cool and in full control of the situation.

The force responsible for the situations in which these couples find themselves in is clarified by the product slogan "Mix it up, see what happens." The "see what happens" portion of the slogan was chosen for its ability to conceal more than just the promotion of great flavor. The consumer is given the impression that friends at Seagram's and 7-UP are on to more than just a delightful drink--"see what happens" suggests more than just a tasty beverage--it suggests wild parties and erotic male\female interaction.

This advertisement is evidence of the advertising industry's careful construction of images that will increase the consumerís perceived scope of function of a product to include more than one would initially expect, thereby increasing the desire for the product. With the aid of suggestive imagery, 7&7 advertisers attempt to lead consumers to believe that their product will increase the likelihood of a sexual encounter. Jib Fowles believes that this is exactly what is going on in many ads. "The product in the ad may appeal to take on a semblance of gratification for the summoned motive. Many ads seem to be saying, 'If you have this need, then this product will help satisfy it.' It is a primitive equation, but not an ineffective one for selling" (Riptov Webb 60). Advertisers attempt to use this tool to override any doubts or questions the consumer might have in the flavor of the drink, thereby decreasing the attention given to the product itself. As advertisers become increasingly skilled at manipulating consumer perceptions through relying on the consumer's biological and instinctual drives, consumers will have to become increasingly defensive against advertiserís blinding emotional appeals or fall prey to mediocre products disguised by spectacular associations. In defending themselves against advertisements that appeal to emotions, consumers must not only be aware of the content of the advertisement, they must, more importantly, be aware of themselves.