...Do you? #MeToo! : A study on consumer behavior towards sexual appeal in advertising after the worldwide #MeToo-uprising

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to explore how stakeholders’ view of sexual advertisement has been affected by the ‘#MeToo’-uprising and Time’s Up movement. A qualitative study has been conducted in order to gather information regarding stakeholders view of sexual appeal in advertising and how they have been affected by these movements. In this study, participants have been giving their thoughts and beliefs on this subject, which later on have been compared and analyzed in relation with existing theories. The findings of this study indicates an increased resistance to sexual advertising by the society due to the ‘#MeToo’-uprising and Time’s Up. Although, the resistance was greater among females than by males in this study. This is potentially due to the fact that women are the ones who constantly are being objectified in advertisement today, and throughout history. The practical implications of this thesis is that it could be to use for marketing firms who are engaged in advertising which contains sexual elements to better understand how ‘#MeToo’ and Time’s up have affected consumers’ view of sexual appeal in advertising. The original value of the study is new insights regarding consumers’ view of sexual appeal in advertisement as an effect of the ‘#MeToo’-uprising and the Time’s Up movement, which not have been studied before.