Diesel "Sex Sells, unfortunately we sell jeans"

Italian clothing company Diesel are known for the pushing the boundaries of traditional advertising. Their campaigns are often risque and mischievous. They use the communication tools of photography and humour to covey their brand's personality.

The 2010 Spring/Summer ad campaign “Sex Sells *Unfortunately We Sell Jeans” uses humour to create a memorable campaign for the brand. In the advertising industry the use of sex to sell products/services has become commonplace in society. Clothing brands frequently use references to sex and sexuality in campaign work. 

The photography used in the adverts has a very amateur edge to it, not in the quality but the "in the moment" aspect of them. The models are not over posed and the images have been styled to recreate the lives of a younger generation. The photographs are very similar in style to those of American Apparel and photographer Terry Richardson.

The bold typography incorporated with the photography created a striking visual to draw consumers attention. The type acts as a stamp of classification  Diesel have used sex to sell their brand; they aren't trying to hide it.

The message in the Diesel campaign highlights this use of sex in a humorous way. The idea of selling sex in order to promote an other product is in essence a visual paradox. Diesel uses humour to highlight that they are aware of the use of selling sex, implying it is a well known method in advertising. The * is used to reveal the next part of the message like it is a secret. "Unfortunately we sell jeans" is a message which can be applied to much of the advertising used in the fashion industry. It acts as a tongue in cheek disclaimer, comically warning consumers of the brand's real purpose. Visually the campaign highlights that Diesel know their consumers are intelligent, not to be fooled by a highly sexualised marketing ploy. Whilst the advert features models wearing very little and in provocative positions , the clever copy provides enough humour to convey Diesel as playful and lighthearted rather than sexist and inappropriate.

This campaign illustrates the fine line between funny and offensive. The reception of the adverts was mixed, some viewing the ads as sexist and vulgar. In 2010, the ASA banned several of the brand's adverts due to the effect and influenceit may have on children, (Sweney, 2010). Diesel were permitted the run the campaign in magazines but not as posters as these which feature in public areas where children may see them.



Sweney, M. 2010. Award-winning Diesel campaign banned by ASA. [online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jun/30/diesel-asa-advertising [Accessed: 20 Jan 2014].