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From: jsp@key.COM (James Preston)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: SEX! (Now that we've got your attention...)
Message-ID: <1975@key.COM>
Date: 6 Jul 90 23:09:45 GMT
References: <9680.2690a1c5@amherst.bitnet>
Reply-To: jsp@penguin.key.COM (James Preston)
Organization: Key Computer Laboratories, Fremont
Lines: 43

In article <9680.2690a1c5@amherst.bitnet> amherasimchu@amherst.bitnet writes:
}Stop right there.  Have you seen the cover of MacUser?  Have you noticed the
}last three covers of MacUser?  What is going on here? . . .
}
}And then they have a cover with a woman seductively licking a stamp for e-mail?
}Seems like using sex to sell is finally making it's way into the software
}industry.  It's a trend that I'd like to see stopped.  (Not by law, but by
}taste.)  Is sex really selling software?  Is sexists sex really selling
}software?  (Please, no flames.  This is a trend that seems to be accellerating.
}I'm looking for a discussion on this.)

Ok, then here's mine:  I think that certain people will always find "evil"
(or bad taste, or a disturbing trend, or ...) where they want to find it.
It's all in the eye of the beholder.  I myself saw nothing particularly
"seductive" about the woman-licking-the-stamp cover.  All I saw was an eye-
catching, attractive cover.  What is so WRONG with using attractive people 
in advertisements and on magazine covers?  To refer to the cover in question
as using sex to sell is going way, way overboard and finding bogeymen in
your closet (not to mention calling into question your definition of "sex".)

}Amiga's magazines are starting to use more sex on their covers.  Women dressed
}in scanty bathing suits. in front of monitors.  Etc.

Sounds like I bought the wrong machine . . .  (Well, shucks, I hadda get in
just one cheap shot.)

}Where's it going?  Does it matter?  Will we see a row of beautiful women in
}bikinis holding a joystick and a monitor to sell the new version of Donkey Kong
}Four or WordMaker 6.0?

Let's put more emphasis on your second question:  Does it matter?  Why are
you even spending your time raising this issue?  Why do you feel that it is
important?  Did the MacUser cover in question inhibit you from buying the
magazine?  Did it detract from your enjoyment of the contents?  Did it
interfere with your ability to obtain the information you needed?  If we
do see a row of women in bikinis selling WordMaker, what difference will that
make to you?  You wanted discussion, so tell me what is wrong with using
attractive women in advertising?  Why is it any more "wrong" than using cute
babies, or cuddly puppies, or a cute animated helocar, or an imitation Charlie
Chaplin, or any of the other thousands of ways that advertisers try to get
your attention?

--James Preston