Sex Sells in Advertising, but How Much is Too Much?

It's no secret that sex sells, but do we need it to sell candy?

You can't turn on the TV or pick up a magazine today without being pelted with sexual innuendos on the most common or mundane items consumers may buy. Sexual poses that push perfume and lingerie are bad enough, but candy is being advertised by a seductive, long legged, stiletto-heeled M&M chocolate candy. Anorexic-looking models poured into leather pants are dancing and gyrating their way into red heels to promote Dr Scholl's gel foot inserts. A woman moaning in what one would assume is sexual ecstasy is actually washing her hair with an Herbal Essence shampoo. Enough already!

How many of you had your mouths washed out with soap as a child? Many of us were told that cursing is a sign of ignorance, that only those who couldn't express themselves intelligibly would resort to bad language. What once would have been considered a potty mouth now seems to be perfectly acceptable in all but the most virtuous of settings on screen, in print and elsewhere in our daily lives.

And if the boys were caught with a Playboy magazine? Oh the horror - he'd grow up to be a sexual deviate!

When did things change? And why?

Because we allow it.

Advertising agencies are given multi-million dollar contracts to produce ads that will sell and it's pitiful that the best they can come up with is a bear that prefers toilet paper that will ensure he will never be the bear-er of dingleberries. I know many of us have a preference for a particular brand of toilet tissue, but come on, do we really need a family of bears (that apparently DO crap in the woods) to tell us how to wipe our butt?

Is it necessary that we see a couple snatching a moment of passion in between parenting duties to tout 'his and hers' sexual lubricants? Do we not have other ways to find this information besides national television during a family viewing hour?

Is that flirty-lashed M&M the best way to lure you into a chocolate craving? I crave chocolate just fine without all of the provocative poses shoved in my face, thankyouverymuch.

I might have used Dr Scholl's foot products in my combat boots at one time or another, but you won't find me dancing on a stage any time soon so I guess I don't need them any longer. Oh, and don't get me started on Viva Viagra.

Mr Bigshot Advertisers, enough is enough.