Roger Box

GC:OPINION IS SEX USED TOO MUCH TO SELL FX?

Before we begin, let me apologize to readers who are expecting me to tell stories of long legged models used to get multi million dollar deals over the line, or critiquing the use of the scantily clad ladies housed within expo booths handing out literature to passers by. Maybe we could make a fans only account for these revelations, but sadly this article covers something more banal.

To set the scene, over the Christmas break I found myself watching a generic financial TV station, where I saw the standard retail brokerage advertising their brand. Using the by the numbers formula and symbology led me to think, why does this methodology never really change. Is it down to the advertising agency not really understanding their brief, or is it something more?

After thinking about it for about ten seconds the answer hit me,the agency are using sex to sell this product. Now this may sound like I have had a Christmas conspiracy overload, however bear with me.

My hurried conclusion I entertained, in a very subtle way they are claiming this product will make me more attractive to a potential mate. As with all coherent arguments, there does need to be some form of evidence to back up your claim. So without further ado I used the tried and tested scientific formula of asking google the answer, as we all know that Google does not lie.

For the next 40 minutes I went into the rabbit hole of what do women find attractive, giving me a number of youtube videos from ‘experts’ in their field. To make it scientific I followed only the female presenters, based on the thesis of never asking a fisherman how to catch the fish...ask the fish!

Counter to what most of us men think, there appears to be more than two tried and tested ways of guaranteed success with the opposite sex. The YouTube ‘experts’ offered a more nuanced list consisting of the following to increase your chances of success.

• Cleanliness. • Intelligence. • Got his life together. (Career and not living with mother at 35 years old) • Dresses in clothes that fit. • Displaying some kind of form of intelligence / wit.

Not only did I use the logic of people advertising competitively priced lady corralling courses, I also delved into anthropology with reference to the evolved preferences theory.

This argument suggests that women are at a natural disadvantage when it comes to acquiring resources. They’re physically weaker than men, and their mobility is hampered by pregnancy and child-rearing. So women are dependent on men to provide for them and their children, and that’s why they value resources over looks in a potential mate.

Based upon this perspective, advertisers are targeting men aiming to show them how they can achieve a certain level of economic dominance, which according to the evolved preferences theory should improve their chances of attracting a partner. When using the data from the relationship experts, and contrasting it to the five adverts from FX brands that had appeared on TV, they all shared the same common characteristics to fit with the above narrative.

• Man smartly dressed. • High quality living area - signifying economic dominance. • Many computer screens - outline a mass of information gathering indicating intelligence viewed as a key to survival. • Looks like he has a busy life / important - has status / economic power. • In good physical shape - important for procreation / protection. • Winning trades making money - signifying economic dominance / intelligence. • Winning a game of chess indicating intellectual dominance - linked to intelligence / earning power.

Does the advertising industry use scientific metadata to design a series of adverts aimed at men that psychologically tick all the boxes, or was it just lazy content following others methodology set out by others? Who knows. I certainly don’t.

Is this a more subtle way of using sex (attracting a mate) to sell your product? If we accept this argument,

conversely would it be acceptable to start moving the boundaries further and have your brand advertised on various adult themed websites using a similar message.

One thing I have learnt from FX is that one dollar is the same as the next, and that it is all about the bottom line. Although it is fine to have personal morals regarding this, however you will have to accept that someone else will not share them with you, they will be taking that dollar that could be yours.

Although this may not fit with the brand values of certain entities, I think you would struggle to find a CEO or an owner who would object to penetrating (for want of a better phrase) a market where you can have millions of dollars in new revenue.

That’s my 2 cents on the subject, do you think there is a right way to advertise FX. Would the adult route be acceptable? Does the marketing industry need to have more flexible thinking in attracting new participants into the market where it seems all the brands messages are no different from each other.. I ask only one thing of the advertising industry...enough of the chess playing in FX adverts!

What are your thoughts?