1. Hayley Dennis, Georgia Gonder, Nancy O’Connell, Kylie Tutko Group 9 Sex sells. But, how far is too far? Dolce & Gabbana case study

2. What do you think when you see this logo?

6. The competition: Versace

7. Prada

8. What is considered acceptable in ads today and what is too far?

10. Our Survey This is who we surveyed: – 30 college students – 15 males, 15 females – Ages 18-23 We showed them this ad and proceeded to ask them the following six questions:

11. What is your perception of this ad? Female responses: – “The ad just creeps me out… a lot” – “Meant to be sexually appealing for men” Male responses: – “Dolce & Gangbang” – “Unsettling at best”

12. Does it offend you? Female responses: – “No, I just thought it was very distasteful and creepy” – “Yes, it offends me because it shows women as inferior” Male responses: – “Yes… infinitely better ways to sell clothing. This crosses the line”

13. The president of the National Organization for Women, Kim Gandy, was asked: Where is the line between an ad that is about a sexy fantasy and something that is offensive? Her reply: “The line there is whether one considers rape to be a sexy fantasy. The Dolce & Gabbana ad was a stylized gang rape.”

14. Do you agree with Ms. Gandy [that the ad was a stylized gang rape]? Why? Female responses: – “Rape is never okay or sexy” Male responses: – “I think the other four men are unnecessary” – “She looks like she’s enjoying it”

15. Stefano Gabbana insists that he and his partner Domenico Dolce were not intending to demean women. He adds that the image is artistic and was meant to "recall an erotic dream, a sexual game.”

16. What is your response to Mr. Gabbana’s statement [that this ad depicts a sexual game]? Female responses: – “If that was his intent then he should have had just one guy” – “He needs a reality check” – “You have really f***ed up exotic dreams” – “Very demeaning” Male responses: – “Mr. Gabbana knows what he is promoting and therefore his excuse is weak” – “Agreed, TFM”

17. The spokesperson for Dolce & Gabbana said that Spain was “behind the times” for banning the ad. Do you agree? Why? Female responses: – “’The times’ don’t make rape okay. She doesn’t look like she is having fun” Male responses: – “Yes, sex sells” – “Yes, I feel as if banning an ad is going against our freedom of speech” – “I think Spain might be ahead of the times as more countries will ban ads like these in the future”

18. Should any restrictions be placed on where an ad like this can appear? If so, what restrictions would you support and why? Female responses: – “’Children shouldn’t see this” – “Shouldn’t be anywhere!” Male responses: – “Shouldn’t be shown period” – “Yes… but who should be in charge of these restrictions?”

19. Are you offended? Should there be restrictions? Although males and females both don’t believe that the ad is offensive, they also agree that there should be restrictions upon where ads can appear. By the numbers

20. Final thoughts A lot of people didn’t think of gang rape when they first saw the photo, but after being asked, they thought it was very much like gang rape Female responses: – “The words “stylized gang rape” never crossed my mind when viewing this ad. Only after I read the paragraph [survey] could I see how some people might view this as [such]” Male responses: – “I didn’t think of gang rape when I first saw it”

21. Questions, comments, concerns? Thank you!