Shock advertising is used to gain attention. If an advertisement is controversial, then it gains free publicity through the press and on blogs. Even though this kind of publicity can be negative, it is still publicity nonetheless. Shock advertising leads to brand awareness and an eventual rise in sales. Many companies that use shock advertising do not even show their product. The interest is solely on creating a very memorable impact on their audience. Studies show that shock advertising can be effective for increasing brand awareness and sales (see Buyology by Martin Lindstrom). 

There are many examples of shock advertising from Benetton to Calvin Klein. The image included here is of Isabell Caro who posed for Oliviero Toscani and Nolita Jeans before dying of anorexia. This picture of her emaciated body shocked many viewers and gave Nolita Jeans a lot of publicity. 

Related lessons

• Advertising techniques
• Beauty of Photoshop
• Sex in ads