RRJ #5

Reference:

Wentz, L. (2010, Feb 25) Is Paris Hilton too sexy for Brazil? Advertising Age. Retrieved Mar 1, 2010, from http://adage.com/globalnews/article?article_id=142291

Summary:

Conar, Brazil's self-regulatory body, is investigating an ad campaign for Devassa Bem Loura beer, because the campaign is too sexually provocative for people. The campaign features Ms. Hilton; in the TV commercial, she rubs a can of Devassa Bem Loura beer along her body in front of window in a high-rise building dressed in a short, tight black dress in order to parade her sexy body to a crowd gathered to watch her. The campaign started as a TV and online teaser campaign about a mysterious blonde; they had hidden who the blonde is, and the beer marketer spread the words “Bem Misteriosa” on Twitter. Finally, Paris Hilton was revealed as a celebrity guest at Carnival in the beer marketer’s VIP box. On the Devassa website, she poses all over the site in the same dress; elsewhere on the site, she poses wearing black lingerie. Conar opened three different investigations about the campaign; one is the result of a formal complaint by a consumer. The beer’s website may violate rules against promotional activities, there is a claim that content on the site is sexist and disrespectful to women. Conar will formally notify both the advertiser and the agency, and the news spread throughout Brazilian blogs with provoking lively comments about both the campaign and Ms. Hilton.

Reaction:

In Western countries, a lot of ads include sensual nature, and I thought Western people tend to like this kind of ads. That is because I saw many sexy ads in global advertising competitions; also, some ads are sexier than the Devassa Bem Loura beer ad, and it is expressed in a more direct way. I think the ad campaign is not too sexy, and it can stay on air on TV and the website. Using sensual nature is one advertising strategy, and the ad doesn’t reach a level that people can criticize it for the sensual content. I think the reason people criticize the ad campaign is that the beer marketer used Paris Hilton as the main character of the campaign in a sensual way. She is one of the famous sex symbols in the world, and her gossips have made flutters many times. Probably, there are some people who dislike her, and the ad campaign is what provoked them to defame her. People tend to like this kind of gossip, and I think it is the reason the news spread rapidly all over Brazilian blogs and the ad campaign got a lot of complaints. Using a person who often comes up in gossip is dangerous for an ad that depends on his or her popularity; however, the ad may gain publicity even if the substance is not good.