On advertising  When sex is the strategy    • The Guardian,   •
Jump to comments ()  Provocative or controversial advertising
can get your brand noticed, but it is not without risks. Last
week, Woody Allen pocketed a $5m (£3.3m) out-of-court settlement
from the clothing label American Apparel after it depicted him
on a billboard as a Hassidic Jew with the words "the holy rebbe"
in Yiddish. But while the poster may have propelled American
Apparel's advertising into the global spotlight, the Allen
furore is a sideshow compared to the brand's standard
advertising campaigns. The company has largely built up its
brand using edgy, sexy ads - in the past they have even featured
porn stars.  The campaigns are shot by American Apparel's chief
executive Dov Charney - and the results are stunning, with
images and typography that make the ads stand out from other
labels. Here, provocative images are used not so much to shock,
as to reinforce messages about the hipness and allure of the
brand.  Sex is often used by brands