Here is a commercial for Candie's fragrances that was popular among young people in a recent study done on sexual content in advertisements. The ad featured actress Alyssa Milano writhing longingly on a bed as her boxers-clad male friend searched for something in the bathroom, seemingly for condoms. During his search, the camera cuts intermittently to provocative shots of her as she sprays perfume on herself. The viewer soon discovers it's cologne he is looking for, which he sprays on himself, including a quick spray in his boxer shorts. The last scene is a close-up of the fragrance bottles rocking back and forth on the sheets of the bed.


Although this commercial is clearly targeted toward young people, some sexual ads are not. All of them, though, appear in mainstream consumer media like prime-time television programs, billboards, and magazines. As such, they are seen and absorbed by a diverse audience that includes young adults, teenagers, and children.