The sexual objectification of women is not a new phenomenon. There are many historical implications that contribute to the perpetuation of women in this representation.

Since the inception of advertising, advertisers have realized that sexual appeal and the desire to find a partner were more effective than any discourse about the advantages of purchasing a particular product. Consequently, the depiction of sex has been a key element in any sort of advertisement.

Akadama port wine (Japan; 1922); one of the first examples of a print alcohol advertisement using women.

Budweiser, 1988

Always bordering between what was inappropriate and what was not, advertising has been flooded with pin-up girls ready to offer to males a paradise of the senses. This proliferation of references to sex and sexuality has been constant, increasing greatly in the last 15 years to become an important part of our daily social encounters. Today, the relationship between marketing and sexuality is even more extended and sophisticated, with ‘global sexualizing’ being a phenomenon that has spread to most social and cultural spaces.

 The historical context of women situated in representations that disseminate the image of the sexually objectified female are perpetuated through print alcohol advertisements.