Background/Purpose: Early sexual initiation among American adolescents represents a major public health crisis. African American adolescents are confronted with significant sexual health threats. Many unexplored factors may influence sexual behavior among adolescents including media exposure. Data are limited regarding the sexual content of advertising and less is known about sexual content presented to adolescents in magazines. To date, research on the sexual content presented in the media has focused on television which becomes a less influential media source to adolescents as they age. The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of sexual advertisements in four of the most widely read magazines by at-risk adolescents.
Method: The most commonly-read magazines by African Americans were selected: Ebony, Jet, Maxim, and Vibe. The unit of analysis was a single advertisement or advertisement insert occurring in these magazines. Advertisements were coded if they were full, three quarters, half, or less than half of a page. Advertisements in these magazines were coded for sexual dress and sexual interaction. Non sexual dress included models in everyday attire. Sexual dress included revealing clothing, implied nudity, partially dressed, or partial nudity. When more than one model was present, sexual interaction was coded. Non sexual interaction included holding hands, playing, etc. Sexual interaction included hugging, caressing, kissing, or more explicit sexual behaviors. Baseline data were collected in 2006 and follow up data were collected in 2009.
Analysis/Results: Two hundred and sixty-one (n=261) advertisements were coded at baseline; 189 were coded at follow up. At baseline and at follow up sexual content accounted for 24% of magazine advertisements. Sexual dress accounted for 15% (20% at follow up), sexual interaction accounted for 6% (3% at follow up), and advertisements with both accounted for 3% (2% at follow up) of the sexual content found in magazine advertisements. Ebony contained 21% at baseline (20% at follow up); Jet included 20% at baseline (0% at follow up); Maxim contained 35% at baseline (32% at follow up); and Vibe included 21% at baseline (25% at follow up) of sexual advertisements.
Conclusion: Advertisements must be evaluated in attempting to understand the sexual content adolescents are exposed to as marketers continuously use sex and sexism to sell products to adolescents. This study provides initial data concerning the sexual content of magazine advertisements; however, further investigation is warranted.