1. Perfume Advertisements: Selling Sex or Scent? Megan Ricica ADV865 Professor Kronrod 4-16-15

3. Main Findings from Literature Review Lull, Hanson, and Marx found that women were more sensitive and critical of the sex role stereotyping of females than were men In a study by by Sara Picklesimer in 2007, messages in gender congruent advertisements were perceived as more clear than messages found in gender incongruent advertisements, but has little influence over the effectiveness of the ad Wortzel and Frisbie measured individual preferences for women's role portrayals in ads by having women construct print ads for a variety of products. – None of the role portrayals were consistently preferred. Instead, subjects matched the product to a role portrayal based on the product's function.

4. Conclusions from Literature Review Attractive women are more effective to use when selling a product that is perceived as feminine Advertising stereotypes women into few defining roles like housewife, sex object, or emotionally sensitive. Making society believe that these are appropriate roles for women. Mass media still focuses on gender roles Commercial’s shape viewers opinions Women are linked to commercials selling beauty or household products By continuing to portray such stereotypes, advertisers are only reinforcing traditional images of what it means to be masculine or feminine or male or female – by persuading consumers that buying these products will allow them to achieve an ideal of femininity or masculinity when there really is no set "ideal.”

5. Research Question Compare and contrast male and women fragrances Who is more likely to comment on these types of ads? Are they commenting on the perfume or on the models/sex/appearances In fragrance advertisements are gender and sex roles being reinforced to their portrayals in society?

6. Methods Studied 10 female fragrances commercials Studied 10 male fragrances commercials Content analysis of which gender comments on these types of advertisements Content analysis of what consumers are saying about the advertisement- is it about the perfume/cologne being sold or sex?

7. Results Women’s Fragrances – 63% of comments were related to sex/appearances – 79% of comments were made by women Men’s Fragrances – 74% of comments were related to sex/appearances – 69% of comments were made by women Overall findings: 68.5% of comments made on fragrance videos are unrelated to the product and focus on sex and appearances 74% of comments on fragrance videos were made by women

8. Conclusions from Research Majority of comments are unrelated to the ad and are focused on sex/gender roles for both men and women Women are more critical about appearances Comments about women’s appearances are harsh compared to men Comments show that men are viewed as sex symbols to be desired not sex objects to be used like women stereotypically are Fragrance ads reinforce gender roles and can shape viewers perceptions – Males are masculine and dominant – Women are sex objects and emotionally sensitive

9. Relation to Reality

10. Future Research Larger scale study of fragrance commercials Analysis of all comments on each YouTube video Apply findings/compare to apparel commercials

11. Sources http://www.acrwebsite.org/search/view-conference- proceedings.aspx?Id=6491 http://www.acrwebsite.org/search/view-conference- proceedings.aspx?Id=6491 http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1250149?uid=2 134&uid=2492757603&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3&uid=2492 757593&uid=60&sid=21106462800443 http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1250149?uid=2 134&uid=2492757603&uid=2&uid=70&uid=3&uid=2492 757593&uid=60&sid=21106462800443 http://krytyka.org/gender-stereotypes-in-mass-media- case-study-analysis-of-the-gender-stereotyping- phenomenon-in-tv-commercials/ http://krytyka.org/gender-stereotypes-in-mass-media- case-study-analysis-of-the-gender-stereotyping- phenomenon-in-tv-commercials/ http://www.abstract.lib-ebook.com/a1-other/1151511- 1-by-sara-picklesimer-university-louisville-2007-thesis- submitted-the.php http://www.abstract.lib-ebook.com/a1-other/1151511- 1-by-sara-picklesimer-university-louisville-2007-thesis- submitted-the.php http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/asr/v005/5.3lee.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGLHU7S8JgU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76lPciEip3A

12. Thank you!