Marky Mark

Sex Does Not Always Sell

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Marky Mark

Underwear commercial

Analysis:
This video was one of Calvin Klein's older commercials and originally aired in the 90s. The product being sold is men's underwear. The audience is basically anyone that watches televeison and the famous people in the ad make the underwear more attractive. The commercial appeals to both men and women. The mood is comedic and also sexual. Once again, the ad is in black and white.

Response:

This video is ineffective because it is, once again, too sexual for the audience. A man watching the commercial is not going to want to buy the product because they think Mark Wahlberg looks really good in the underwear. They are also not going to want to buy the product because a woman is wearing the underwear either. Women usually do not wear men’s underwear. Just because the woman, Kate Moss, may be topless in the commercial does not mean a man will buy the product. Men will obviously be attracted to her which will distract them from the commercial itself. When there is a beautiful woman walking around with out a shirt on a man is not going to be paying attention to the words or the product. Kate Moss only serves as a distraction from the product being advertised.

The commercial focuses too much on sex rather than the product. Obviously a beautiful and topless woman is going to arouse some feelings in a man and Mark Wahlberg will do the same for a woman. The line that Wahlberg says about “the best way to protect yourself from AIDS is to keep your Calvins on” is proof that the commercial is all about sex and is a little hypocritical after he rubs his hands all over Kate Moss and comments on her freckles. He also says "now THAT would definitely come in between me and my Calvins," referencing Kate Moss. I do not think that a commercial trying to sell a product, even if it is men’s underwear, should focus so much on sex. It takes away from the overall message.