Hypersexualization of Women in Advertisement

Women are hypersexualized and objectified in the advertisement industry. We see this constantly, whether we are commuting on the subway or mindlessly watching television programs in the evening. The depiction of sexy images is used to draw attention and sell the product that is being marketed. The notion that “sex sells” stems from this depiction. While this form of advertisement is used to garner a positive reaction from male consumers, female consumers are meant to identify with the advertised model. This creates unrealistic expectations and standards for women, which in turn negatively affects women’s mental and physical health. If the hypersexualization of women is so widely accepted, society will continue treating women in line with demeaning stereotypes.

The hypersexualization of women in advertisements causes both men and women to have unrealistic assumptions on what women's bodies look like. Promoting an “ideal body type” convinces women that they must fit into that standard of beauty. Women who internalize this belief will question their self-worth and degrade their own bodies by thinking they are not “curvy” or “sexy” enough. According to the American Psychological Association, sexualization is linked with “three of the most common mental health problems diagnosed in girls and women–eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression or depressed mood.” These ads that enhance women’s insecurities may result in body dysmorphia and other serious mental and physical health issues.

Women are often compared with curvy fruits and shapes, connecting the idea that women should have the shape of an hourglass, which has been a societal standard for centuries. This insinuation has harmed viewers of all ages to become insecure about their weight, comparing themselves with the woman in the photo and even resorting to starving themselves or having a form of an eating disorder. The false expectations of women only harm them and feed into stereotypes.

Ads use the objectification of women to encourage their buyers because in some sense, it’s “funny”. It’s used as a joke when the reality of it is just outright sexualization of women. As seen in a Burger King ad created in America, the use of “blow and swallow” as well as her mouth being slightly open is used to indicate that the woman is giving a blowjob. The melted cheese or mayo and the name of the burger, “seven incher” is clearly being used to represent this burger as a penis. The fact that there an Asian woman is being used is already a red flag because they have been constant targets of fetishization which is influenced by ideas of orientalism where Asian women are seen as both backwards and exotic in America. To further portray her innocence, they put her in a white shirt and went as far as to give her a cross which represents faith in God for many Christian or Catholic institutions. This ad may have accumulated a laugh or two but it stills plays its part in laughing off the patriarchal society we live in which is filled with gender rules and roles placed for each person.

While this ad may not necessarily depict a woman's body being sexualized out front, the use of the fruits (a peach and two lemons) to represent a woman’s butt and breasts is not missed by the viewer. Alongside the phrase. “Not as guilty as it looks” it is clear the ad is trying to be seductive in its wording and purposeful choice of images. Although all humans possess these body parts (a butt and nipples), the viewer automatically associates this image with a female’s body rather than a males because of our society’s continuous association with food and the sexualization of women. Rarely do we as viewers ever associate men’s bodies and specifically these body parts as a representation of sex in advertisements for food and/or drinks. Instead, it is women and their bodies that are seen as inherently sexual and used as a tool to gain viewers’ attention.

All too often, the media perpetuates a false and unreal image of women’s physical appearance, behavioral standards, and beauty. The portrayal of dehumanizing women as some sort of commodity in the advertisement industry has become widely accepted because of how normalized it has become. Women should be portrayed in roles that are positive and constructive. To combat sexual objectification, society has to recognize women as human beings and not mere objects.