User:Leahbury/sandbox

Advertising in Bust

As a feminist publication, Bust strives to make money off of advertising while still upholding its feminist values. Bust does not shy away from using sex to sell, as many advertisers do, but it does so in a way that is still in line with the feminist ideals that Bust advocates. While sexual appeals appeal often in advertisements, including advertisements geared towards women, research has found that they typically operate within a Westernized, patriarchal framework that subordinates women to men and goes against many feminist ideals.

Many scholars have criticized the use of sex as a means of selling in advertising, claiming that these type of ads silence the desires of women while presenting them as objects for the pleasure and consumption of men. While some advertisers have made an effort to more empowering to women, some critics claim that these advertisements still fit within a narrow, Western, patriarchal framework of idealized beauty. For example, these advertisements still feature typically thin, white, conventionally attractive models. Furthermore, many sexual appeals in advertisements fit into a narrow heteronormative framework and do not address alternative sexualities or gender identities. Bust attempts to subvert the way that sex is used in advertising in a way that fits into the feminist ideals it strives to uphold.

There are several ways that Bust has featured advertisements that make sexual appeals while simultaneously reinforcing the feminist ideals that it upholds. One way is through the use of sexual appeals as a form of sexual education. One example of this is an advertisement by Smitten Kitten that informs readers on the differences between silicone and jelly-based sex toys. This advertisement is sexual while also being educational with the end goal of consumer empowerment. Another method of advertising in Bust is advertisements that link a product to feminist and/or other social change agendas. An example of this is the use of sex appeals to advertise environmentally and ethically sourced menstrual pads. This is a way to sell a product while also promoting a cause that will resonate with Bust's feminist audience. A third method of advertising in Bust is advertisements that are more inclusive of alternative identities and that promote nontraditional body types and diverse sexual identities as sexy. This serves to include many people that are typically left out of traditional advertising schemes while also promoting them in a sexualized light that affirms that they too are fully human.

The advertisements that are featured in Bust are an example of sex appeals that are used towards the consumerist goal of making a profit while also working towards the promotion of feminist ideals.