Sex Sells

            It was pointed out in the first week of season one, and reinforced in later weeks, sex sells.  George commented, “I wouldn’t pay five dollars for a glass of lemonade, but if served by a very pretty girl, you’d be surprised.  I just might.  One dollar for the lemonade and four dollars for the girl.”

            Sam tried to use this angle when he recruited a woman to help sell the men’s lemonade.  This is a pretty obvious statement if you look around at many of the advertising campaigns.  Watching a recent ad, I was surprised to see it was for toothpaste.  It mentioned nothing regarding brushing your teeth, preventing cavities or even fresh breath like you would expect from a toothpaste advertisement.  Instead, this commercial showed a woman removing her clothing.  Then she was in an intimate moment with an undressed man.  In the end we found out that toothpaste is what enables us to achieve such an encounter.

            Advertisers look for the best way to get your attention.  Most often, the sexiest and most revealing ads are aimed at men.  The advertisers want you to believe if you purchase their product, you too will have the bevy of scantly clad beauties in the advertisement and all of the fun and enjoyments those in the advertisements are having.  Most people are smart enough to realize  purchasing the items in the advertisements will not make their lives change into the fantasies portrayed through advertisements.  However, the more outlandish, sexy, and skin shown, the more an image will remain in the viewer’s mind.  Advertisers hope the next time viewers are purchasing that product, the positive image will still be imbedded somewhere in the back of the viewer’s head, and they will purchase that brand.

            Numerous articles were written about The Apprentice, and many focused on the women’s team’s use of their sexuality.  The debate raged regarding whether it is appropriate in today’s business world.  Some believed it inappropriate, shameful, and degrading, while others felt it liberating and thrilling.  For some, sex is power, and its effectiveness has been proven in many venues.  The Apprentice illustrates this.  Whether it is appropriate or not in today’s business world, the fact is sex sells, and it is a factor that plays a role in many business developments.

Sex Sells, But…

            Yes, Sex Sells, and the women on The Apprentice season one used their feminine charms to their best ability while racing off to an impressive 4-0 lead.  However, after week four’s win, Trump took the women aside for a moment and cautioned them in regards to using their sexuality to win.

            The women won a day at the Trump National golf course, but during the day Mr. Trump called them into Carolyn’s office at the course to get something off his mind.  He faced the women and said, “Now I don’t want to ruin your day of Golf at Trump National, but I have something to say.  You are smart dynamic and attractive women.  You beat the guys fair and square.  But you’re coming a little close to crossing the line, relying on your sexuality to win.  Well, it’s unnecessary. Carolyn.”

            “Things like that aren’t going to get you the job here.  I want to know that one of you may be president of one of his companies,” Carolyn added.

            Yes sex sells, and being fit and attractive can help you succeed.  But that is not the only thing, and you better work on the entire package if you want to climb all the way to the top and stay there.  This was further reinforced in season two when Ivana crossed the line and striped while attempting to win.

Before Ivana’s notorious candy bar skirt dropping, teams were using sex to sell during the second season as well.  During the second episode, we heard Bradford, who had been moved over to be the only man on Apex, say to some of the other men, “When you grow a set of boobies, you’ll be able to outsell my girls.”  Bradford then told the girls to look gorgeous as usual, encouraging them to use sex appeal if that was what it would take.  Maybe the men of Mosaic were worried that Bradford might be right, so later in episode two, they recruited good looking women to help them sell their ice cream as well.

Week four had a different kind of sex appeal incident.  While the men’s team was managing a restaurant, there was a table of four men, who had complaints about the food.  Chris perceived them as gay, and in response, he sent John to the table because he was the best looking male team member.  In episode thirteen, you cannot deny that Jennifer M. and Sandy ’s M&M sisters’ outfits and good looks helped them get the reactions they wanted and increased sales.  Jennifer M. admitted the two were willing to do just about anything within reason to win.  Ivana did not just admit she would do anything to win.  She proved it, and in doing so sealed her fate as the person fired from week 13 and just missing the final four.

            Desperate upon learning that Jennifer M. and Sandy were selling their candy bars at a higher price, Ivana resorted to desperate measures.  This was in stark contrast to her comments from episode two when she criticized Bradford for wanting them to whore it up with short skirts and halter tops.  During episode two she stated that she did not want to play the sex card, and she told Trump in the Boardroom that she would rather lose than resort to selling sex.  With a chance to make it into the final four, Ivana’s ideas regarding selling sex changed.  She started soliciting male customers with a pitch that for twenty dollars they could have a candy bar, and she would drop her skirt.  She sold several candy bars this way and each time dropped her skirt to reveal her bikini shorts.  Carolyn did not look amused as she watched the spectacle.  In private with Trump and George, Carolyn called the stripping horrendous.  That led to Trump telling Ivana, “I’m not hiring a stripper, you’re fired.”

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