in a society where adverts are part of everyday life, we may not realize the impact that advertising actually has on us. sometimes it is obvious; you see an advert, you want the product.
sometimes it is not so.
for example, many pop stars and celebrities are blamed for giving young children [girls in particular] the 'wrong idea'. Britney Spears, who for much of her career towed the very thin line between attractive and provocative, has often been criticized by the press for influencing young girls to dress and behave in a more sexual and provocative manner. in using her sex appeal to sell her records and gain status and fame, her record company has also exposed her younger and more easily influenced fans to the idea of 'sexy'.
a single example off the top of my head [because i grew up listening to britney hahaha] she is not the first and most certainly not the last mainstream star to be marketed in such a way.
sex appeal has become a very popular [and often effective] form of advertising. certain products, such as perfumes, are particularly partial to using imagery with sexual connotations in their campaigns, as explained in this article.
