Sex Appeal and selling videos

[DeltaMan727]

Originally Posted by Lucky Star

Maybe this is the poster Geoff was referring to:
Or maybe this?: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/ima...222639&sr=8-12

Number 2 is the one that I’ve scene on eBay a few times!!!

Geoff

[videofit]

Didn't Kathy Smith's husband manage her when they were married? That might explain the change in her wardrobe later on.

[LAC]

Originally Posted by KathAL79

Sex appeal doesn't sell videos to me, although it might drive me away if it's overdone.

I can relate to that.

Originally Posted by RedPanda

Just chiming in to say that some of the reviewers here, at Collage and Amazon comment on the skimpiness/appropriateness of instructors' outfits, but it's never bothered me. You have to wear workout clothes to work out...

I'll own up to being that kind of a reviewer. I don't think I am a prude, but I guess my modesty values are a little more old-fashioned than what is popular today.

[Sarah-lara]

this reminds me of the old Adam Sandler "working out or having sex?" bit (transcript here, careful: possibly offensive)

I generally don't mind stuff on videos if the workout is good, but I have my limits. I don't care for risque cover art, for instance. I've already had a couple of friends ask me what some of those videos I had REALLY were. (I told them to stop looking at my collection before they got to "Long Slow & Deep." ) At least we can use the cover art and workout names to steer clear of drivel like this .

Even if I don't agree or don't use the info, I really appreciate when VF reviewers point out they felt the clothes were too skimpy or any other strong reactions they had. Of course it's all just opinions here (hey, I thought We Cheer was too sexy for my little niece, so there's that) but every bit of information we get helps us decide what to spend our money on.

[bubbles76]

Sara-lara, that's a good point. I wouldn't exactly want my little niece to see someone wearing barely anything and working out. I also think it has something to do with how a person is built. For instance, in GeriBody workout, Geri is wearing basically tiny shorts and a tiny top. But Geri hasn't got a lot of curves, so it doesn't really look sexy to me (although some thought she did). It doesn't look like she's TRYING to be sexy to sell her DVD. But put that same outfit on Amy Bento or Janis Saffell, who are quite curvy, and it might look that way. Put that outfit on any of Cathe and crew, and it just looks like they are showing off their muscles. So I guess it all depends.

For my little niece, I probably would not want to show her anything unless the instructor was covered up.

[acey]

Wow, Sara-Lara, that link was frightening. Now THAT I'd say is too much!

I've been collecting a lot of 80s-era videos and in general there's much more emphasis on "sexy" than now, IMHO. Maybe as women's rights evolve, so do the emphasis of increasing numbers of fitness videos from "look sexy for your man' to "be healthy and fit no matter what age you are?" Maybe that's a stretch, I dunno.

I'm pretty tolerant as long as the workout is good. Of course, maybe those "Naked Yoga" et. al are good but there, I won't go.

[Carol_is_fit]

Sex sells. Look at almost any industry's advertising and you're likely to find subtle - and some not so subtle - sexual undertones.

Does it bother me this exists in the workout industry? No. I think it's over the top and silly at times, and I don't really understand why someone feels the need to market it that way since the target audience for home workouts has always been mostly women, but who knows what they're thinking? I'm sure there's some marketing research out there somewhere that backs up what they do. Or perhaps not ...

Carol

[Sue B]

Originally Posted by DeltaMan727

Who do you think was the first instructor to use sex appeal to sell videos?

This guy, maybe?

[Susan G.]

Someone here once pointed out accurately that retail stores have fitness videos are adjacent to the "adult" video section.

[F1mom]

Double post