European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 26, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                U. 5, advertisers adopting europeans risque approach by Stuart Elliott the new York times sex has Long been at the heart of marketing. Pretty women decorated coca cola calendars Back in the 1890s. But sexual themes a particularly involving the und raped body a Are being used by Madison Avenue As never before to Cut through commercial clutter and grab the consumer s attention. And if advertising trends in Europe where sexy ads often appear first before migrating to the United states Are any indication americans Are going to see Ever More daring ads on television in magazines and even on billboards in coming years. Some of the ads would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. Their increasing presence now underscores the risks of using sex skin and Shock to sell products and is raising fundamental questions in the advertising Industry about taste image and marketing strategy. Consider these examples a a spot for a lever Brothers soap uses peek a boo shots of men and women lathering their stomachs chests and tags. A the camera in a commercial for the Shower Massage made by Tel Edyne water Pik ogles a nude muscular Man from a variety of angles. A a print and for obsession one of Calvin Klein s fragrances features a naked Man and woman standing face to face on a swing pressed together trom the Waist Down. Much of the advertising is lighthearted and innocent showing a few More inches of Chest or thigh say but nothing that can to be seen on a family Beach. The soap and for lever 2000, offers Quot a kind of mild naughtiness a said Brian silts a senior vice president and group creative director at j. Walter Thompson the Agency that produced the commercial Brook shia Day 1980 a nothing comma Bataan to and my Calvin a Talnax Agama tame today. Page 14 the stars and stripes wednesday