Abstract

The use of erotic stimuli in print advertising has become almost commonplace in the advertising practices. But the employment of erotic communication appeals in advertising continues to be a controversial topic. While the use of such stimuli may draw additional attention to the ad, the outcome of the use of such high degrees of erotic stimuli may, in fact, be negative. Sexuality in advertising is a major area of ethical concern, through surprisingly little is known about its effects or the norm of its use. The article is focused on providing a basis for making ethical choices about the use of sexual appeals in advertising.