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Ann Marie Willis

September 20, 2016
ENGL 1127
Assignment 2 Revision
Sex SellsFeminism?
While it is clear to society that sex sells, just buy glancing at a magazine stand at the
checkout line in the supermarket, it wasnt until recently that sex has been used in a way that
empowers women rather than demeaning them. Both author Clair Cohen and author Suzy
DEnbeau discuss how the use of sexual appeals in marketing has progressed in their articles,
How Advertising Hijacked Feminism. Big Time and Sex, Feminism, and Advertising: The
Politics of Advertising Feminism in a Competitive Marketplace respectively. Each of these
authors writes on this topic for different purposes and different audiences, which impacts the way
they deliver their message. Cohens article, which is published on the online magazine, The
Telegraph, is geared towards the general public who simply wants to be informed about current
events in society. DEnbeau, on the other hand, whose work is published in the Journal of
Communication Inquiry, gears her article to a more scholarly audience focused on specific trends
in marketing. Ultimately, Cohens article more clearly relays the powerful message that
advertising is progressing with feminism to the public, while DEnbeau effectively shows how
this type of advertising is followed through to a more scholarly audience. This observation
implies that in the discussion of deeper issues, an informal tone and style may be more
persuasive and effective to the given audience.
In the delivery of her message, Cohen introduces the idea with the discussion of a few of
the most profound recent advertisements that have used women to empower women. The first
she mentions is the Dove soap brand, real women campaign, that started a domino effect of

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feminism in advertisements. Cohen mentions several other campaigns such as #LikeAGirl by
Always, and quit saying sorry by Pantene to demonstrate how women in ad campaigns
dispel negative stereotypes. The author continues the discussion by introducing the effect that
social media (such as Facebook and Twitter) has on females self-confidence, body image and
career goals. In the effort to help these issues, Cohen proposes that advertisers have recently been
cottoning on to the idea that honesty sells too (Cohen 1), as opposed to just sex. This honesty
is the idea that producing ads that show real images of imperfect womens bodies or
appearance will ultimately urge young women to embrace their imperfections. Cohen believes
that this movement will sell too, which she backs up with her examples of campaigns.
Throughout her article the author coins the term femvertising (combining feminism and
advertising) to refer to the trend of using women in a positive way, not an objectifying way in
advertising. Cohen concludes that these trends are what will ultimately change the way women
are perceived but such campaigns cant just push the perceived feminist agenda through a hard
sell. They need ads that are built for women by women (Cohen 7).
While in line with Cohens articles ultimate purpose, DEnbeaus article discusses this
matter in the style of research, rather than opinion and observation. In her article, DEnbeau
analyzes how feminism is encouraged through sexual advertisement in Bust magazine. The
author begins by clarifying that her research differs from most research on sex in advertising
because no other study has explored alternative conceptualizations of sex appeals in media
contexts and that she intends to show how feminist media maintain ideological commitment
in the context of economic survival within a market economy (DEnbeau 54). To show these
readers what techniques are executed, the author takes the reader through her research process
that includes a discussion on past studies that have already been done, the method in which she

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analyzes the ads placed in Bust, the results of this analysis, and what these results mean for
advertising and society.
A major aspect that sets DEnbeaus article apart from Cohens is the credibility that is
clearly established throughout her article. The most obvious thing that makes DEnbeau appear
to be more credible than Cohen is the publication of her writing. As mentioned, DEnbeaus
article is published in the Journal of Communication Inquiry which is a forum that exclusively
publishes research and analysis. In addition to the publication, DEnbeau herself is a professor in
the Department of Communication Studies at University of Kansas and has a Ph.D. from Purdue
University. These simple facts tell the reader that the author has experience in the field she is
writing about, and is also well educated and well-respected. Another thing that makes DEnbeau
seem credible is her form of writing. The author lays out her article in a clear way that shows
each step she takes in order to get to the conclusion that she does. It is especially important that
the author does this in the portion of the article where she explains her method for research.
DEnbeau offers that she analyzed advertisements (total ads=1,465) in all issues (total
issues=16) from 2005 to 2007 and used a two-phase data analytic technique of open and axial
coding (DEnbeau 58.) By explaining this process, the author gains credibility by showing her
technique is not biased. She used a large number of ads as well as various issues published in
various years. This way, the reader can trust that the results which the author ends up with are not
skewed in any way that would favor a specific outcome.
Lastly, DEnbeau establishes her credibility further through the use of factual and
statistical evidence, that ultimately add depth and reason to the conclusions she makes.
Specifically, the author includes a lot of background information on the topic of sex in
advertising in general, which includes past studies and each of their results. These studies help

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make DEnbeaus research topic easy to understand. In one instance, DEnbeau mentions a study
on Ms. Magazine, conducted by multiple researchers in the early 1990s. The author explains that
this study proved that advertising leads to bigger revenues for companies, and specifically sexual
ads. Thus, she continues, Bust must survive in a competitive marketplace that relies on
advertising revenues (DEnbeau 55). By bringing up a past study, DEnbeau is able to conclude
certain things about her study, and makes her information seem reliable. While DEnbeaus
article does present more authority than Cohens, it is not to say that Cohens article does not
effectively accomplish what it intends to do. Through Cohens casual writing style and lack of
tons of facts and statistics, her article is more easily understood by the general public. If she were
to use complex data and language like that of DEnbeau, her article would not appeal to the
audience that Cohen wants to reach, which would ruin the purpose of her article as a whole.
Cohens appeal to the general public is one aspect of her writing that gives her article an
advantage over DEnbeaus. Because the conclusions of each of their essays revolve around the
idea that feminism can be used in sexual advertising, and this will hopefully change female
stereotypes in the future, I believe that it is more appropriate to get get the point across in a more
public way. For DEnbeau to discuss this topic through research does effectively persuade her
reader; however, it limits the number of the readers who will actually see her article and work.
This article is published to a private journal, that can only be accessed by those who are
subscribed, which mostly limits it to people somehow involved in marketing or womens studies.
Cohens article, in comparison, is easy to find and easy to read. Because Cohens article is posted
on an online newspaper, people who are not necessarily looking to read about sex and
advertising are still likely to come across her article, just because they are interested in the news.
In addition to the place of publication, Cohens article offers more relevance to the everyday

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reader than DEnbeaus. Cohen includes multiple images that are examples of the specific
campaigns she mentions throughout her article. By including these images and using examples
from brands that most readers would recognize, Cohens writing is relatable to most readers and
is likely to have a greater impact on them. These images are also likely to catch a readers eye
while scrolling through a webpage and will draw them in. Not only do these images grab the
readers attention, but they also clarify Cohens discussion and help to elaborate on what she
says. DEnbeaus article does not include any images or graphs which makes it more serious, and
less relevant to the everyday reader. Instead of discussing big brands like Pantene or Always,
DEnbeau examines a feminist magazine Bust. While it makes sense for her to narrow in on this
brand because of its primary audience, it narrows her audience even more, since many people
who may not be interested in feminism, might not know what the magazine is.
Cohen and DEnbeaus articles deliver similar messages in very different ways. It is
important to recognize when comparing these two works that each article is geared to a different
audience, so is therefore written in a particular style. In a time period that is so progressive,
bringing up how feminism can be empowered by advertising is a point that could dramatically
change the upbringing of young women today. With technology constantly improving, the media
is having a greater impact on the upcoming generations and really influencing their choices. Ads
showing super thin models wearing next to nothing are teaching young girls that that is the way
their body should look, and if it doesnt, they are fat or not pretty. However, with campaigns that
embrace the imperfections of women, young girls are taught that it is okay not to be under one
hundred pounds or have other imperfections. This message that both authors discuss is one that
needs to reach our world quickly. This issue is urgent and impacts people everyday, so Cohens
article more powerfully addresses the issue and promotes change. Although her opinions are not

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necessarily fact-based, they are opinions that most everyone can agree with, and that is the type
of writing that will actually help our youth. The observations made through this analysis imply
that when it comes to a topic that needs to create awareness and is urgent, a popular article is
more persuasive and useful.

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Works Cited
Cohen, Claire. "How Advertising Hijacked Feminism. Big Time." The Telegraph. Telegraph
Media Group, 9 July 2015. 1-8. Web. 22 Sept. 2016.
D'Enbeau, Suzy. "Sex, Feminism, and Advertising: The Politics of Advertising Feminism in a
Competitive Marketplace." Journal of Communications Inquiry, Sage Journals. 2011.
53-69. Web. 19 Sept. 2016.