It may be a cliché, but yes, sex (or in this case, adult-orientated content) does have the potential to sell — but in my opinion, it’s all down to luck. Let’s look at a few examples including Wonderbra’s “Hello Boys”
Although it was almost 20 years ago when Eva Herzigova appeared on billboards around the U.K. in nothing but her underwear, the impact of this now iconic piece of visual content remains fierce. Labeled “the poster image of the 90s” by the campaign’s editor, Stefano Hatfield, the photograph’s eye-catching nature allegedly caused car accidents throughout the U.K.
Such was the campaign’s popularity that Wonderbra sales subsequently skyrocketed by 41 percent. Manufacturer Playtex confirmed that in the months following, it sold 25,000 bras per week. What’s more, the campaign has taken many accolades — including “Campaign of the Year” during the year of its inception, 1994, and more recently, the title “Most iconic advertising image of all time” (awarded by the Outdoor Media Centre).
Herzigova’s legacy lives on still, in the form of the more modern, but similar Wonderbra adverts we see today and the 2012 Decoder app launched by the brand. It allowed users to see what seemed like a fully-clothed model in just her underwear, by scanning special posters with their smartphone. (Talk about controversial content!)
Would I label the “Hello Boys” campaign a success? Hell yeah — and a big one at that. It increased the brand’s sales, overall awareness, and is still making an impact 19 years on. Would a simple picture of a bra have achieved that? I doubt it.
Read more at http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/34187.asp#0GpDqHuszt0CkFOK.99
Deborah Bates, Campaign Delivery Manager, Red Rocket Media
I’m a content marketing specialist, creating and managing multi-channel content strategies for clients across a range of industries. In a work capacity, I’m especially passionate about…