Abortion-services TV ad/campaign to air in UK

Ad Age reports that an ad for abortion services will air May 24 after 10 PM. The ad is sponsored by Marie Stopes International, a sexual health charity. According to the Ad Age report and BBC, government regulators approved the spot, the first ever TV commercial for abortion services.

"To allow abortion providers to advertise on TV, as though they were no different from car companies or detergent manufacturers, is grotesque," said a spokersperson for an anti-abortion organization in response to the upcoming commercial.

The spot will run after 10 PM to minimize exposure among children. Abortion is not directly mentioned in the ad but viewers are asked, "Are you late?" Viewers are encouraged to call a 24-hour hotline. No doubt that callers on both sides of the abortion issue will be making their voices heard.

Sexiest commercials of 2009 according to Spike.com

Leave it to Spike, the network devoted to young adult males, to deliver on the sexiest spots of the past year. Spike.com lists the 10 sexiest ads of 2009. True to form, all of them are from a male perspective: lots of breasts, bikinis and girl-on-girl action. We see swimsuit supermodel Bar Refaeli in a revealing two piece, Pamela Anderson and another woman splashing each other with coffee creamer, and Calvin Klein jeans' couch menage-a-trios.

Surprisingly, the list includes three PSAs that gained international attention last year. One, for breast cancer, shows oglers going ga-ga over a Canadian broadcaster's jiggling breasts. A spot featuring a Hitler stand-in having sex, written about last year, to promote HIV-awareness. Rounding out the PSAs is PETA's "banned" Super Bowl ad encouraging veganism that put a new spin on vege-wrap. Let's keep an eye out for the sexiest ads of 2010. Thanks to Ray my TA for keeping me current.

Vintage STD awareness campaign

We talk quite a bit about contemporary safe sex and social marketing campaigns that address sexual issues. Many recent campaigns contain sexual imagery or the subtle interplay of text and image that contributes to sexual meaning. Compare that to this 1919 outdoor ad that appeared in New Jersy [click here to see the billboard]. Imagine passing this message heading south for the family vacation with stationwagon full of kids. "Daddy, what is venereal disease?" I came across this outdoor ad while viewing the "Emergence of Advertising in America" collection; part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.

PETA too hot for NBC

Victoria's Secret and GoDaddy aren't the only marketers pushing the limits on Super Bowl advertising. NBC rejected (no surprise here) PETA's commercial "Veggie Love." The spot features beautiful women undressing while getting especially close to their vegetables (definitely a twist on "veggie tales"). The message is that vegetables are good for you which means you'll have more love to give.

One NBC exec said the spot "depicts a level of sexuality exceeding our standards." NBC asked PETA to cut the following shots before reconsideration: licking pumpkin, touching her breast with her hand while eating broccoli, pumpkin from behind between legs, rubbing pelvic region with pumpkin, licking eggplant, etc.

The move by PETA is a smart way to get high levels of publicity without forking over $3 million for a 30-second spot. It also is in line with recent PETA ads featuring sexed up imagery to get its message noticed.

Bringing sexy back

Sensual backs and bellies in ads may surprise some students and youths in the Athens area. Posted in the bathrooms of local restaurants and bars, these ads aren’t selling products, but are generating awareness for pro-social causes.

Safe Campuses Now, an Athens-based, non-profit organization that advocates crime awareness, prevention, and education for high school and college students, is utilizing the fact that sex in advertising doesn’t have to be limited to brands and products. To generate awareness about rape and sexual abuse, the organization’s most recent poster shows a portion of a young woman’s bare back with a tattoo visible just above the top of her jeans. The copy reads: “Just because you think she looks like she wants it doesn’t mean she wants it from you.” It goes on to make the point that you must listen to her and behave accordingly if she says “No.”

Another version of the same message exists, this time with a women’s exposed stomach and hip. It’s my guess that these ads really hit home with viewers. The sexy images draw in the target audience and delivers an important message.

Along with rape and sexual abuse, Safe Campuses Now deals with issues such as DUI prevention, alcohol and drug abuse, pedestrian safety, exercise safety, and tailgate safety. The campaigns are developed by volunteers, with the help of partner firm Snowden Tatarski, an Athens-based ad agency.

The PSA by Safe Campuses Now exemplifies how sex in advertising can be used to effectively reach audiences with important social messages.

--posted by Michelle Weidner

Nudity used to promote MS awareness

Skin can be used to sell more than branded goods as this Multiple Sclerosis public service announcement from Australia demonstrates. It features a nude female with “used by” printed on various parts of her body. Similar approaches have been used to promote skin cancer prevention and breast cancer research among other causes.

Nudity gets the ad noticed and the connection helps to get the message across. Research published several years ago in Journal of Advertising shows that sexually oriented social marketing appeals can be more persuasive than the standard informational approach used in many PSAs. At the very least, credible tie-ins with sex offer social marketers another tool to get their messages noticed.