Discover why some of your favorite PS tricks result in $$$…

Bloated Pupils

Image: Go from “Average Jane,” to hot mama!

Filter->Liquify->Bloat, and drag the cursor over your subject’s pupil. Begin bloating it slightly for a subtle effect. This creates “bedroom eyes”–the look often associated when you’re getting ready for some dimly lit snuggle time right before bed. Also the body’s natural indicator for arousal, this bloated effect ignites a subconscious acknowledgment of naughty times to come.
Add this subtle effect to your campaign photos and your potential customers will be drawn into your product or service by oh so seductive eyes.

Push That Fat

Image: Thin is the new black.

Cleverly manipulate not-so-lovely love handles utilizing the Pucker and Forward Warp tools. Modern western ideology interprets thinner silhouettes as the industry standard for fashion and related industries.  However, it’s actually natural for us to prefer “thinner” bodies (thin, as in weight lower than your modern day average citizen). In nature, healthy bodies illustrate potential partners ready for conception and are therefore seen as perfect mates by the opposite sex.

The controversy, however, often lies in the unfortunate discretion of the art direction to determine the public’s perception of health and vitality. The design community is not foreign to examples of botched Photoshopped ads, but it’s important for designers to understand the sociological impact of design upon the standards of the public.

Warped Expressions

Image: Manipulate expressions for customer appeal.

A “genuine” smile occurs when there is furrowing of the corner of the eyes to create crows feet. Extensive wrinkling around the eyes can even be a sign of a life filled with joyful emotions. Obviously, a designer can’t leave or create additional wrinkles for a major magazine spread, but they can slightly manipulate the skin in the area to an angle by creating a subtle corner squint.

Also emphasize the approachability of your subject by bringing the corners of their lips upward. The slightest smile can prove wonders for a friendly marketing campaign.

Say Cheese, or not!

Image: Is a smile costing your product’s success?

Can the basis of success weigh in the aesthetic attributes of a smile? According to a national survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, participants judged intelligence, status, and overall success on a smile alone:

“74% of adults feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success.” -American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry

Whether it’s a section of white set to “overlay” or clone stamping a pristine set of teeth nearby, realize that an attractive smile can make or break a design.

No Such Thing As Ethical Design

If people are individually bombarded with hundreds of advertisements daily, designers can’t afford to lose reach by neglecting certain aesthetics in design. The audience’s intrigue in an attractive spokesperson ultimately leads to the intrigue of the product.

Whether it’s superficial or morally wrong is a matter of opinion, and that consideration doesn’t sell products, manipulation does. Can you think of a national campaign which has stirred public opinion?

Resources

• The Definitive Book of Body Language
• American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry Press Release
• Obesity – Wikipedia
• Pupils – Wikipedia
• Original Artwork By Melody Nieves
  

…Chocolate is oh so sexy!

Sexy Chocolate Ads By Chicolate

Chicolate has released a series of new ads demonstrating the very sexiness of chocolate. Learn what makes these ads so sexy leaving you with mouth watering intrigue.

First Ad: I Want To F*ck You

The first of three controversially sexy ads, Chicolate shows a delicious-looking chocolate donut in front of big bold text. The positioning of the donut conveniently covers the word, F*ck. The fact that the donut covers the vulgar word associated with sex brings even more attention then if it were elsewhere in the scene. However, I also see covering the word as a method of lessening the impact of vulgarity used in the ad.

Chicolate doesn’t allow any room for misinterpreting the ad. Firstly, the scene is on a clear white background. The big bold text is set in capital letters in the middle of the composition for optimal contrast against the white background. And though there is a donut in the far upper right corner of the ad, you hardly notice it with the grabbing the sexy content.

Stating that the ad wants to f*ck you demonstrates a level of intensely strong desire towards the product. The most vulgar of the three ads, it’s the start of a campaign with serious shock value.

Second Ad: Come Together

In this second ad, Chicolate places two round pastries atop the words, “Come Together.” One may argue that this means something as simple as two people coming together for the act of sex, but I think otherwise. The more obvious interpretation of coming together is to climax together during sex. During sex, both partners climaxing together is often a sign of  emotional, physical, and sexual connection with one another.

Again, the subjects cover the sexual word with delicious pastries. Also adding to the sexual appeal of the ad is that the pastries look like two round, perky nipples. One of the best ways to subliminally approach sexual appeal is to have two identical items next to each other. The human anatomy has many “pairs” especially with the erogenous zones of the body.

Come Together represents an action. And often action words help the viewer to visualize the very action communicated by the words. So while you think you’re only looking at a harmless sexy ad, your mind may be racing with thoughts of sexual intensity.

Third Ad: Lick Me All Over

The last ad to round out this sexy Chicolate campaign is “Lick Me All Over.” In this ad, a delicious (my favorite) chocolate chip cookies sits atop the word “lick.” Notice the consistency in these ads in the overall style and composition for customer impact.

Taking a bite out of the cookie is a way of showing the irresistibly of the product as something you just have to sink your teeth into. Again, the cookie covers the sexy action word, lessening a little of the vulgarity associated with such a bold statement.

I consider the sexual connotation of licking as the least vulgar of the three ads, and there may be a purpose to this. Had all the ads been as intensely vulgar as the first, it may upset more viewers than intrigue them. However, if the campaign was missing the first ad, would the shock value be as significant?

Sexy Chocolate Facts

Why is it so easy to associate chocolate with sexiness?  Discover these  interesting sexy facts and why the concept is not so far fetched.

• Aztec Indians believed chocolate to be an aphrodisiac.
• Chocolate contains serotonin which is responsible for feelings of well-being and contentment, as well as curbing anxiety and depression. Therefore, it has similarities to the effects of sex with the release of endorphins.
• Giving chocolate as a gift is one of the most popular ways of showing love and affection.
• The melting point of chocolate is 96 degrees, which is why it literally melts in our mouths.

Chicolate: Substitute For Love

The purpose of all three ads is to showcase the product, Chicolate, or “Chic”-olate, as a substitute for love. Love, aka sex, supports a delicious connection between two people which results in the release of endorphins, a natural remedy for feeling oh so good.

What this means is that the product is so good, it can replace sex–and that’s a pretty bold statement. These ads are sexy, attention grabbing, and with an ounce of humor. So what is your opinion, has Chicolate gone too far?

Keep It Sexy Sugas…

Resources

• (images) Chicolate: Substitute for love – Ads of the World
• (article) Fun Facts About Chocolate
• (article) 5 Fun, Scientific Facts About Chocolate - Beliefnet

Don’t send visitors or potential paychecks away with melancholy work, instead, celebrate your technique by “designing happy.”

Not Everyone “Gets It.”

On the front page of DeviantART.com’s popular artworks of all time, is a photo of what appears to be a syringe piercing a tongue; blood spills with such dramatic beauty of course. Discovering more about it, one realizes that the photo creatively utilizes the artist’s tongue-ring hole. Essentially, an illusion is depicted without the need for a major photomanipulation.

And as cool as the photo is conceptually, it still makes me squeamish whenever I log on.

Is Your Portfolio Welcoming?

If a client stumbles upon your portfolio, will they also encounter a physical reaction to your work? And if so, will that reaction ultimately lead to an inquiry?

Evaluating the content of your portfolio could be detrimental to improving your reach to potential clientele. And though moody grunge Photoshop tutorials have become the norm in the industry, it’s a distinct genre that may not translate as easily to clients. In the DeviantART example above, a potential client may not even recognize the beauty in the artist’s photographic abilities because of their initial adverse reaction to its theme.

Emotions Are Contagious

Turn on your favorite powerfully upbeat song and feel the energy surge throughout your body. “It’s only music” but you become quickly engaged in the emotions of the song. This same concept goes for design of all kinds.

Image: Emotion Vaccine – Has your portfolio gotten its shot yet?

Photos of people smiling and enjoying themselves are frequently used for products because they make the viewer happy. And if you have consideration for how contagious emotions are, then ask yourself, will your audience leave your site or portfolio happy, mad, or sad?

Negativity Affecting Artistic Expression

Negativity has a way of creating a vicious emotional cycle which greatly influences artistic expression. Imagine a designer who is upset about the current standings of his career. Because he’s mad he creates a series of dark and moody photomanipulations which he later showcases in his online portfolio.  But when potential clients reach his site, they become easily turned off by the mood in his pieces.

Image: The stages of emotion which affect artistic expression – “hopeful, worried, P.O, and hysterical.”

Months go by with little to no work, and the artist is back at square one, mad about his career–a vicious cycle indeed!

Feng Shui Your Portfolio

If you’ve realized that your portfolio may emit a negative energy that would ward off clients, do not be alarmed for you can easily rework it much like the manner of traditional Feng Shui. It’s first important to understand that by repositioning (even eliminating) a few emotional pieces, you’re not sacrificing any of your philosophies as an artist , but rather celebrating your technique for future work.

The following is a set of tips to consider when revitalizing your portfolio’s energy:

• Open your portfolio site with a design reinforcing positive themes.
• Open your portfolio site with an image of a subject smiling.
• Close your portfolio’s gallery with a design which provokes thought and intrigue.
• Enliven your audience by placing energetic pieces throughout your portfolio.
• Utilize the theories attached to color meanings to further optimize design placement.

Showcase Variety Where You Can

Another solution to this is to showcase a variety of conceptual designs in your portfolio. See if you can engage your audience in as many emotions as you can by varying the themes. Not only will it showcase your diverse talents, but it will leave viewers with incredible intrigue.

Image: “Fail Whale” design combats the mood often associated with technical difficulties.

Twitter’s popular “fail whale” is displayed during frustrating technical difficulties, but it’s colorful and jubilant design has made it an internet phenomenon.

The Realities of Positive Design

Not every designer is fortunate enough to be publicly recognized for one genre of design.  And regardless of your design interests, your portfolio is meant to sell your skills and technique.

Besides, how many companies do you see marketing themselves with depressing graphics–so why litter your portfolio with them?

Resources

• NLP at Work - Book by Sue Knight on the fundamentals of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP basically means the relationship between the mind and language and how that relationship affects human behavior).
  
• The Definitive Book of Body Language – Book by Allan and Barbara Pease on useful advice regarding body language.
  

…smoking is definitely not sexy!

Fake Ad Campaigns

Fake ad campaigns are a common marketing tactic used by organizations to stimulate promotional efforts and arouse interest for the company.  However, they are also a magnet to controversy and criticism. So what is it about these campaigns that draw attention? And is that attention beneficial for the company in question?

Association Against Tobacco Sex Slaves

The French Association Against Tobacco  launched a controversial advertising campaign in early 2010 deterring cigarette use amongst teenagers. The ads point to similarities between cigarette smoking and sex slavery, showing teenagers as sex slaves while the cigarette substitutes male genitalia. Has the association gone too far by comparing the two, or is this a classic case of “shock marketing?”

Ad Details

The power of this ad is in the details of its composition. Not only does it provide blatant shock value but it also stirs the opinions and beliefs of its audience.

Composition

The ad is a closeup shot of what appears to be different teenagers kneeling before businessmen to provide oral stimulation. The angle of the shot is in the perspective of the teenager as they look up to their oppressor.

Displaying the teen’s perspective is a powerful method of demonstrating the emotions involving submission. “Smokers are slaves” to their drug of choice, unable to part from it because of its addictive attributes, and this idea relates to sex slaves unable to escape from the grasps of their ruler.

Analyzing Body Language and Expressions

This ad is incredibly effective in demonstrating submission. Using teenagers as sex slaves is more effective because of the lack of control they have in their lives. The wrinkling and hair growth upon the man’s hand reflects an adult who is fully capable of understanding their power upon the child. And dressing the dominant adult in professional attire further perpetuates the idea of power.

Placing the adult’s hand upon the teen’s head not only blatantly relates to oral sex, but also communicates the guiding of the child to commit an act they’re uncomfortable with. And looking up shows the whites of their eyes–a tell tale sign in the body language of submission.

Raised eyebrows further showcase innocence, and I can’t help but notice the subtle delicateness of holding the cigarette between the teen’s lips. It’s almost like they hold it delicately because they’re young, and sexually inexperienced which further emotes submissiveness using virgin-like subjects.

Unintentional Statements

Staring at this ad long enough, I understand the point the association is trying to make but I also wonder about other statements it stirs up. Does the campaign hint at the perils of Paraphilia with children? Or what about how it may stir opinions regarding the origins of homosexuality in teens. Furthermore, is cigarette smoking what’s demonized here, or oral sex?

And does anyone else find it interesting that the girl is the only one of the 3 ads who is with an adult without a jacket, making it an even more blatant reflection of a sexual act?

Marketing Tactics: What, why, and how?

So how or even why does an organization pull off a fake advertising campaign? Here are some answers:

• Making an impression through shock value – The association argues that it’s hard to catch the attention of teens with anti-smoking campaigns unless you provide some form of shock value to get them to notice.
• Controversy is still attention – Regardless of who the campaign offends, the controversy surrounding it acts as a catalyst to discuss the real message of the ads.
• Press loves it – This campaign was most likely promoted via press releases which caught the attention of people in the media always looking for the next controversial story.

In Summation…

Organizations can receive fruitful amounts of promotion utilizing the potential power of phony advertising campaigns. However, it’s necessary for these companies to evaluate the possible controversy or backlash of the public by stirring emotions. Is there a better approach to fake ads? And would you even consider utilizing this marketing technique?

Keep It Sexy Sugas…

Resources

• (article) - French in uproar over oral sex anti-smoking posters
• (article) – Association Against Tobacco: Sexual Slave

All Images Courtesy of

• (Association de Défense contre le Tabac)

…sexy people “Like” SexiDesign on Facebook!

New Landing Page Design

SexiDesign now has a new landing page for its Facebook Fan Page. Under the “Welcome” tab, you’ll now notice some fun incentives to becoming a fan. Here’s a look at the additions to the new page:

Call to Action

What’s the best way to showcase your sexiness? Well, to become a fan of SexiDesign of course!  By “Liking” the official fan page you become an honorary member of sexiness approved by SexiDesign.

Welcome Video

The new landing page displays a welcome video featuring yours truly!  In the video I tell visitors how they can “join in on the realm of sexiness” by becoming a fan of SexiDesign on Facebook. But the fun doesn’t stop there, take a look at the compilation of bloopers from this video on YouTube.

Certificate of Sexiness

All the loyal fans and followers of SexiDesign are sexy, so what better way to show them that then to have your own Certificate of Sexiness! Available in two formats, you can print and sign it or just place the alternative banner on your favorite photo.

About SexiDesign

For the visitors who aren’t so sure as to what SexiDesign is all about, this section gives a brief description of the site and its purpose.

RSS Subscribe

Since you’re already about to become a fan, you might as well subscribe to SexiDesign’s RSS Feed for updates on all things sexy in marketing and design.

How do you make a Facebook landing page?

I’m contemplating whether or not I would like to include a tutorial about how I designed the new welcome page. I’m not particularly much of a coder so it took a couple of hours of research and trial and error. If you would like to see a tutorial on how to make your landing page look more sexy, just comment below!

Keep It Sexy Sugas…

…let’s decode one of the sexiest girls on the internet, and find out how much of a “bot” she really is… [naughty grin]

Decoding Sexy Design: Personal Marketing

Sex sells. And once this tactic is utilized then it is your responsibility to understand how to harness sexiness for your own marketing benefit. But with progression into the realm of sexiness comes substantial marketing knowledge. Marketing teaches us to research, implement, and evaluate. And many times with implementation comes redesign, even it’s a redesign of selves and personas.

Before The Fox Came Out

I first saw Megan Fox while watching “Two And A Half Men.” And since then she hasn’t strayed too far from her normal sexy badass chick role. Now, has this added to her appeal? Of course–but I’ll get to that naughtiness a little later (wink).

As I briefly mentioned previously, with career progression comes an overhaul of the essential tactics you choose to market yourself. However, trying to adapt a sexy persona may not be as easy as it seems for it calls for an attention to detail, self awareness, confidence, an open personality, and the ability to accept conflicting opinions of sexiness, while still working with what you have.

Before

Before international box office fame, Megan Fox was still an attractive young woman, but she wasn’t correctly showing off her assets. Personally, I find the basis of her mass appeal in her sultry eyes, however she previously overloaded them with eyeliner–which I assume is an amateur’s mistake, resulting from an unofficial makeup team.

Megan Fox has lovely, squinty and seductive blue eyes. Too much eyeliner appears aggressively harsh and causes her eyes to look even smaller than what they are. Her eyebrows were also much thinner, which poorly framed her face and failed to work in harmony with her eye size.

And despite popular criticism, rhinoplasty streamlined the contours of Megan’s face around the nose area.

Identity Redesign

No logo designing here. Merging into an international star could only come with the essential marketing rules of research and implementation. Once it’s understood what doesn’t work for you via research, implementation of the required changes results in boost of mass appeal.

Those Piercing Eyes…

Now with an appropriate makeup team behind her, Megan Fox’s eyes are correctly displayed in the best light. Liner works best on the top and corners of her eyes, with little to none on the bottom. Her eyebrows were also grown out to finally compliment her eye shape, giving her a mature vixenish look reminiscent of Old Hollywood.

Dark Hair

Did You Know: Megan Fox once had blonde hair…

Megan’s rich brown-black hair dye is much more suitable for her currently tanned skin tone. The previously strong black color dye contrasted against her fair skin, washing her out greatly. Megan works much better as a dark brunette, for it adds to her appeal as a bad girl and stereotypes the sexy mystery associated with brunettes.

Tattoos

Though tattoos are a form of creative expression, they also signify the rebellious naughty side of women. Strategically placing them on delicate parts of the body is an invitation to take a look and admire.

Intentional Sexy Body Language

Celebrities have calculated their body language to adapt to their sexy side. Sometimes sexiness can appear natural, but don’t eliminate the possibility of intentional body language.

The Chin Tuck

The “chin tuck” embodies feminism. Any time that it appears as though parts of the body are retracting–almost into the center of the body, it portrays someone making themselves smaller. This in turn relates to submissiveness–more commonly prone to women, of course.

The chin tuck naturally creates a sense of perspective where the base of the head is smaller as it retracts in, while the top slightly juts forward, bringing further emphasis to sultry eyes. Paired with a soft “look-up” glance, the chin tuck can send the mind’s of men wandering.

The Chin Raise

I like to think of sexy body language as an embodiment of the very act of sex. A forward chin usually displays a person who is proud, confident–possibly even arrogant, but I don’t view it the same way in regards to women. When a woman is raising her chin, pairing it with a smile or parted lip I see it relative to a sensual release.

Furthermore, if she is exhaling into a breathy smile with a subtle arch of her back–it looks like she’s near or recovering from climax.

Over The Shoulder

This pose is no stranger to celebrities on the red carpet. With her back to the crowd, Megan Fox seductively glances over her shoulder. Though many may argue that this is merely to show off the dress–c’mon, who really cares about the dress at this point, right? She’s inviting you to steal a glance and admire her curves from afar.

This pose also causes Megan to reveal the whites of her eyes by looking in one direction. Yet another naughty subliminal reading related to female submissiveness.

Mouth Play

Paired with her seductively piercing eyes are Megan’s full lips. I think one of the best ways to turn on a man is for a woman to do something sexy with her mouth, and Megan does this very well. She stands with her lips slightly parted, tucking her tongue behind teeth, allowing her bottom lip to hang naturally–which in turn, makes it appear fuller.

This is by far Megan Fox’s signature pose. Paparazzo often catch glimpses of her preparing her mouth for this very look.  Bloggers denote it as a “maneater” pose, as Fox is ready to feast on her latest “victim.”

Megan definitely likes to show off her tongue too. As if she needs anything else to get men’s mouth watering, she often makes cheeky poses with her tongue out. She also has a sexy pout, contracting her facial muscles to force the corners of her lips upwards, giving her pout a naughty smile.

Conclusion: Evaluating Sexy Redesign

Remember, marketing is a process of research, implementation, and evaluation. As a result of making a few minor tweaks to her look, Megan Fox now:

1. She claims lead, opposite to Shia Lebouf of the major motion picture series: Transformers.
2. She’s been listed as the sexiest woman alive in several men’s magazines.
3. She’s a popular search term on the internet for her photos.
4. She’s even been officially banned from the internet–well, just for one day!

So, is your look in need of a redesign?

Keep It Sexy Sugas…

Resources

All Images Courtesy Of…

• Megan Fox Photo Gallery – Starpulse.com

Information

• Megan Fox – Wikipedia
• The Definitive Book of Body Language – Recommended Reading

Flo, making tricked out name tags sexy…

The Progressive Insurance Girl

Sitting on the couch next to a friendly male companion the television shows the latest Progressive Insurance commercial. And as quickly as it came on so was the immediate glee present in my buddy’s face. Smiling from ear to ear he recited the all too familiar lines of the commercial, laughing with such eerie jubilance I could only imagine the reasoning behind its appeal.

It’s not the first time I’ve been in the company of one of her fans, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. For America, is officially in love with Flo, the Progressive Insurance girl.

Who Is The Real Flo?

“Flo,” is actress and stand up comedienne Stephanie Courtney. Stephanie, who has made it publicly apparent of her oblivion to Flo’s appeal, has become an insurance brand icon with her bubbly  personality and retro rock star looks.

But what really makes Flo so awesomely appealing–especially to men? Well, let’s found out…

Flo’s Quirky Allure

Approachable

Flo’s fun and quirky personality radiates from the television screen–sending viewers head over heels for her charm. She’s cute, but her looks make her even more attainable, as opposed to a sexed up Paris Hilton selling a cheeseburger. And though it may all just be an act, Flo has the ability to portray such genuine happiness for her job and the service of her customers, that it’s no wonder the commercial leaves a long-lasting “giddy” feeling amongst her audience.

Style

Flo’s retro inspired style, from her bold red lips to her winged eyeliner, represent a touch of alluring naughtiness to the picture. Her style makes her normal, which adds to her approachability, making it easy for people–male or female to claim her as a new best friend.

Body Language

Stephanie Courtney may be oblivious to her natural sex appeal, but it is very apparent in her body language. First off, you are greeted with a representative with a genuine smile–that is, a smile that creates crows feet around the eyes. A smile, that is so contagious that you have to smile back. Her body movements are that of an innocent yet flirtatious school girl, exhibiting an enthusiasm which only intrigues it’s audience.

Flo vs. The Competition

Geico’s Gecko

There is an apparent charm in Geico’s official mascot. He’s as adorable as can be and has an accent to boot! However, he’s only an animation–an inanimate, nonexistent character only appearing for it’s beloved commercials. Flo is a strong competitor against the gecko because people can actually see themselves meeting her, sharing a couple of laughs together, or retrieving a treasured autograph. Either way you see it, the best way to build rapport with your audience is to give them an actual human being.

Erin: Esurance Cartoon

Esurance also has a nifty little mascot too. And though she falls on the same line of being an animated character, her appeal is lost in her lack of sex appeal. Granted, the cartoon is pretty and a feisty little action superhero. But, she turns people into cartoons which seems more like a children’s fantasy than an adult’s reality.  Besides, she speaks to her viewers like any regular business representative would: bland, robotic, and predictable. She’s got nothing on Flo!

The Future Of The Progressive Insurance Girl

Flo, or Stephanie Courtney, is already signed to do several more Progressive Insurance commercials, has a growing fan base of over 300,000, and a Facebook Fan Page. Not to mention the character is one of the the hottest new Halloween costumes of choice amongst women. For now, at least, Flo is here to stay…

Keep It Sexy Sugas…

Resources

• Flo (Progressive Insurance) – Wikipedia
• Stephanie Courtney – Wikipedia
• That Girl In The Progressive Insurance Commercials – Huffington Post
• The Strange Allure of the Progressive Insurance Girl – Austin360.com

One definite way to turn on any man: wear a black matching bra and panties set…:)

Understanding Color Meanings In Sexy Design

Color is important to every design, but especially sexy design. A vixenish dominatrix can’t be taken seriously in neon orange latex, so understanding the meanings of different colors is ideal to adding spice appropriately to bland design.

Predictably Sexy Colors

Red

Image Source (via Flickr)

Not every woman can pull off red lipstick, yet red is the most popular color of choice. Red, the color of blood, emits  passionate energy in any design. Lighter reds evoke sensuality and the love of a Valentine or spouse.

Sexy Fact: Red lipstick that utilizes “more bluer hues” during the color mixing makes teeth appear whiter!

Keepin’ It Sexy Suga

Keep red sexy in design by utilizing lighter shades and even incorporating pinker tones to the mix. However, depending on the shades and color combination, pink tones scream both femininity and youth. Essentially, this could be a big difference between a seductively romantic movie print and a barf-inducing Hannah Montana poster.

Black

Images Source (via Flickr)
Black is so naughty baby (devilish grin). Though black has its obvious dark and depressingly emo undertones it’s essential for communicating that sinfully sexy side behind doors. And if you notice, SexiDesign.com has plenty of naughtiness to go around.

The powerful elegance of black speaks volumes in its use. Often working to establish sense of depth, volume, and hierarchy, black is a fundamental part of sexy design from your ordinary LBD to our earlier dominatrix’s house of pleasure.

Bring On The Mystery

Mystery is also very sexy, therefore black reflects the mystery behind sexy designs which intrigue viewers to find out more in quenching their curiosity’s thirst.

Nontraditional Sexy Colors

White

Sometimes the sexiest part of your wardrobe can be as simple as a pair of whitey tighties (sans the stains of course!). White translates to innocence, purity, virginity, and cleanliness. Minimalistic design often has white as the forefront in color choice and examinations of space in design utilize this sexy “white space.”

Keepin’ It Sexy Suga

White is a prime example of a nontraditional color still evoking sex appeal. However, in order to pull this off smoothly, it’s important to incorporate other design principals such as composition, space, and perspective to effectively utilize this sexy color.

Nude

Image Source (via Flickr)
Nude, or brown, is rooted with the earth as a reflection of the harvest and seasons. It’s also often used in the fashion industry to imitate skin tones for costume and wardrobe design for seamless connection between fabric and skin.

Nude is sexy simply because of its relation to skin tone. Both fashion designers and artists often use it to play on nudity in their work. Nude invites the eye to explore what’s in the composition, as well as sneak a peek of  those “oh so naughty” areas.

Blue

Yes, blue is sexy. Blue is sexy because it has universal appeal. Sexy design is not gender specific and blue fits perfectly in this scenario because it holds favoritism with males but has no prejudice amongst women.

Keepin’ It Sexy Suga

The key to keeping blue sexy is to utilize lighter shades. Light blue is still blue, so men will feel safe with it but its much softer so its appreciated by women. A favorite in wedding designs, interior design, and cosmetics, blue will always be sexy.

Under-Appreciated Sexy Colors

Green, Orange, and Purple

Image Source (via Flickr)
When I think about sexy design, green is definitely not the color that comes to mind. However, as long as you stay away from shades promoting sickness, green remains as  a potent color for health and vitality. Green also alleviates nervousness and anxiety–it’s really just sex as a color!

Sexy Fact: Green is the color of fertility!

Orange stimulates activity–that’s what I’m talking about baby (wink, wink)! A recent personal favorite, orange has a love it or hate it attitude because of it available level of intensities. Any color too bright will eventually create tension because of harshness upon eyesight, but when used in softer, paler tones, orange radiates a sexy flamboyant energy many have grown to love.

The royal color of purple has mystic qualities which encourage creativity. Like it’s fellow under-appreciated color green, it emits a calming effect. The sexiness of purple is actually not surprising because of it’s relation to the blue and red color families. Turn the color dial towards red for more sensuality while adding blue to the mix awakens the common gloominess attached to blue.

Are Certain Colors Un-sexy?

I love all colors, and am a total believer that the entire composition effects sexiness in design. So are there any colors that are incapable of being sexy or is it just a matter of color shade and design? Discuss and comment below…

Keep It Sexy Sugas…

Resources

• Color Wheel Pro: Color Meaning
• Color: Meaning, Symbolism, and Psychology
• The Meanings of Colors

Ugly Underwear: Plus Size Design

For years there has been a great debate over one of the greatest concerns for large breasted women: why is plus size design so ugly?

Plus Size Bra Design

For larger women, the purpose of plus size bra design is to create support for a woman’s breast with as little discomfort as possible. However, what designers manufacture as “support” or “comfort” also equal as an ugly esthetique for their customers.

Bulky Straps
First off, many plus size designs have large, bulky straps to carry the extra support needed for larger breasts (size DD and so on). Included with the width bulkage is heavy padding so that the strap doesn’t dig into the shoulder area. Larger breasts are obviously heavier, so padding creates the added “comfort” needed to wield around these hefty babies.

Awkward Cuts,
Along with the heavy padding is the awkward cuts used for coverage. Big boobs need lots and lots of coverage otherwise unfortunate “spillage” may occur where the breasts hang over the side of the bra. Further spillage will also create pinching of the skin which leads to ugly red marks. Many women find that the cuts of plus size bras are unflattering because they don’t provide lift and a sexier shape. Plus size bras often try to de-emphasize the size of the breast by “smooshing” them against their ribs.

However, despite the size and sometimes unfortunate back discomfort of living with larger breasts, many women would actually like to emphasize enhanced cleavage.

Average Bra Design

Average bra design is probably the epitomy of what a woman would love to have in her underwear wardrobe.

Sexy, Flirty, Fashionable
Bra designs for petite bodies are always more fashionable than plus size design. Fabricated of different laces, materials, and fabrics, average bra design remains diverse in potential for design.

Average bras also utilize more flirty fabrics, patterns, and colors, emphasizing the youth of women because of a smaller, daintier breast size. Plus size bras generally come in only a range of four different colors: white, nude, pink, and black.

Shape
Petite bra design is often cut to bring emphasis to the cleavage area. Smaller breasted women are in complaint of being unable to have the same sexy voluptuous cleavage as large breasted women, hence bra manufactures provide substantial shaping to their designs to fake this effect.

Why is sexy underwear so important?

Women thoroughly care about what they wear because it ultimately adds to their self esteem. They wish to feel sexy when disrobing in front of their spouses and despite the fact that their underwear may rarely even be seen by another, they also want to feel sexy just for themselves.

Mens Underwear

How would you compare the thorough details in fabrics, shades, and shapes of women’s underwear to that of mens underwear? Do guys even care as much as women? Share and comment below…

Sex Marketing with Reebok Easytone

The sexy tiny shorts of an ample bottom walk across the screen. The camera zooms out to show an athletic woman talking–about something, but momentarily zooms in back to her toned butt to keep your eye’s attention, and moreover–your mind racing. Her sexy physique has simply peaked your intrigue…

…but what was she selling?

Reebok Easytone

This is the official commercial for Reebok’s new product, Reebok Easytone. This new set of sneakers promises to bring tone and definition to your butt and legs with regular use. But is that what’s communicated through the ad, or does Reebok make a blatant use of sex in marketing to influence the sell of their product?

Reebok Commercial

Official Advertisements

Below is an official advertisement for Reebok Easytone. Similar to the appeal of the commercial above, let’s analyze which features of the ad may intrigue a customer enough to buy.


The Obvious
Well nothing is more obvious for sex appeal than the nearly naked lower half of a woman’s body laying down on the ground. Or how she wears black panties–usually signifying a sexy naughty side when worn.

Body Language
The body language of this ad is particularly heightened with all the associating sexy elements. Placing the woman on her side creates a sexy silhouette that is pleasing to the eye. She has a toned physique which relates to the appeal of a healthy woman–for women who are healthy are deemed as perfect mates to bear children.
Another interesting yet sexy element is the position of her legs. One is back, but the other remains pulled forward over the back leg. The “curvy” silhouette of the woman’s body becomes exaggerated than if she were to have both legs straight.

Double The Sex Appeal
You may be wondering the purpose of placing a woman on a reflective surface. Well one sexy picture now becomes doubled–ultimately doubling the appeal of the ad. And we all know that repetition instills the impression of the ad upon our subconscious more frequently.

Black and White Effect
Furthermore, what’s the significance of a black and white effect on the photo? Perhaps to make the ad appear more sleek and sophisticated, or to emphasize the physique of the woman since the highlights and shadows create distinction with her curves and muscles. Or even to keep the ad’s colors neutral, while distincting the colors of the sneakers’ soles.
Well, the significance of a black and white photo effect is that it creates universal appeal. The ethnicity of the woman is no longer distinguishable, therefore subconsciously appealing to all local and international customers.

Nude Ads

There are even ads floating around with blatant use of nudity. The woman’s smooth body continues onto the lower half of the body, which is no longer adorned with sexy black panties. The panties are removed to reveal the start of her mons pubis.
Also, the leg pulled over the bottom leg creates a shadow on the mons pubis that almost looks like the shadow of pubic hair–this creates a certain shock appeal that leaves a lasting impression of the product to the customer.

Furthermore, on the reflected surface–can you see a more distinct mons, perhaps the beginning of her vulva?

Photoshop Techniques: Purposeful or Error?
Staring at these ads for so long made me realize a certain anatomical error with this nude ad. The designer photoshopped the line of the lower leg out of the image. You know, traditionally when you look at your body your legs/private area create a “V” shape in the front. Well here, the other half of the V is omitted either “in error”, or to continue the area of space on the mons pubis.

Conclusion:Sex = Sales

People can either look at the use of sex in marketing and design as an issue of morality, or can accept the fact that it’s use is prominent. Sex in marketing and design will never cease to exist, and even seems to increase depending on the public’s acceptance.
What is important, is to realize that as a customer you want to buy a product that is best for you and satisfies your needs, rather than buying it for subconscious language which creates purchase impulse.

What do you think of this ad? Share your opinions below!

Resources

• The Definitive Book of Body Language – (Highly Recommended)
• Reebok Easytone – Official Website