Sex sells

Sensitive readers, be warned: this posting deals with suggestive advertising that should probably be rated PG-13. If you find this topic objectionable, please stop reading now!

Ok, remaining readers, a quick quiz: if you saw this poster, you would guess it was an advertisement for a) laser hair removal; b) lingerie; c) membership at a gym; or d) plastic surgery.

Answers ready? The correct choice is.... rice cakes. That's right, I said RICE CAKES! (Technically, these are made of corn, but close enough.) And thus we have a perfect example of the bizarrely sexualized advertising to be found in Spain. You don't have to speak Spanish to appreciate the TV spot on which this poster is based. What 's the deal with the pantless cowgirl? Or the girl bowling in a swimsuit? Or the seductive nibbling of the corn meal cake? Yes, these girls are “being smarter than hunger” (the spot's tag line) by snacking on something healthy instead of junk food, but it takes a special kind of mind to make eating well so PG-13.

I don't mean to suggest that Bicentury, the company behind the corn cakes, is alone presenting such sexual advertising. I remember seeing an ad for fruit juice several years ago in France that featured a sultry-voiced woman extolling its smooth, creamy texture. Apparently, she was just talking about orange juice.... or was she? Nor is the phenomenon limited to food; an especially egregious ad is this one, which features a nerdy-looking 30-something guy (played by Spanish TV personality Andreu Buenafuente) becoming overly excited about the sales at electronics store. Incredibly, this is not an isolated commercial; MediaMarkt did a whole series of TV and print ads featuring Buenafuente, all with the tagline “El gustazo de comprar a mejor precio”, roughly “The enormous pleasure of shopping at better prices.” Maybe the food ads are somewhat justified; eating can be a sensual experience (though personally, I've never found rice cakes especially enticing). But buying laptops and stereo systems in a giant warehouse? Come on!

This is not to say there aren't similar ads running on American TV. Last week an ad for Beyonce's new fragrance was banned from daytime TV in Britain for being too "sexually provocative". (The Daily Mail's deadpan comment on this: "Any criticism that she is too sexually provocative is likely to enhance rather than harm her earning potential." Love it!) But I do think there is a little something cultural in play. An American ad for rice cakes emphasizing their weight-loss properties would probably feature scientific-sounding jargon or testimonials from people who've dropped several clothing sizes from eating them (think Subway Jared). Seductive, scantily-clad women might be less likely to make an appearance.

I guess all the insinuation and exposed skin make for effective advertising; these commercials are certainly memorable. But I hope public health spots for safe sex, STD testing, family planning and the like are given leeway to be equally direct. If there's going to be that much sex in commercials for rice cakes and electronics, actual information on the subject shouldn't be far behind.