This image is an advertisement from American Apparel, a clothing retailer in America. The image immediately attracts attention due to the model wearing nothing but knee high socks. This grabs the interest of the viewer as it is something controversial. The name of the model, Lauren Phoenix, is listed in the bottom right corner and a description which says she is an actor and director. The text also tells the viewer to google the model, not even hiding the fact that she is a pornographic actress. This is furthered by the three boxes on the left which clearly depict the model is in a scene from one of her films, albeit only her face.
While other advertisers try to subtly add in adult themes, American Apparel makes no attempt to hide this. The point of the image is clearly to provoke a reaction and bring attention to the brand. American Apparel has a history of edgy advertisements like this, some of the more controversial ones you can see in the video below.
They do this as it differentiates them from other clothing retailers and causes their market to recognise the name and associate the brand with the advertisements. American Apparel is one of the most well know proponents of this, there are others that do this as well. Another example would be some of the PETA advertisements such as the one below featuring Pamela Anderson.
The advertisement is about animal rights and raising awareness in regards to that. This one features Pamela Anderson wearing very little clothing in a tactic to grab attention from the audience in a similar way to the American Apparel advertisement. PETA uses controversial images in a lot of their advertisements, some of the most controversial of which you can see here. While many feature celebrities with little clothing, others feature confronting images such as animal cruelty and violence which can be shocking for the viewer.
Both of these examples are both overtly controversial and don’t try to hide their controversial images. However this has a hidden motive as it means both a memorable and stick in the audiences mine. For American Apparel this differentiates them from their competitors and for PETA this means their cause sticks in the public’s mind.
Sources
American Apparel Advertisement – http://www.celebitchy.com/10496/woody_allen_sues_american_apparel_for_10_million_for_using_unathorized_image_from_film/
American Apparel YouTube Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NQGAAnMexE&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D6NQGAAnMexE&has_verified=1
PETA Advertisement – http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/pamela-anderson-sexy-body-baring-peta-ad-banned-canada-article-1.463753
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