Wal-Mart is currently the leading distributor of Johnson and Johnson's K-Y brand products - namely, the release of the company's new line of warming massage oils.
These hot new products were released into stores in the summer of 2005, and sales have flourished at Wal-Mart. The massage oil line has been selling better than the rest of K-Y products, and according to an article published in Advertising Age, the new line of oils has been listed among the top 10 new health and beauty products of the year.
Stepping back a few years, Wal-Mart removed from its stores all the CDs that contained a parental advisory, claiming that Wal-Mart does not agree with the distribution of profanity. The company has regulated other products, as well.
The latest of these "clean up" movements includes the racy magazine covers on such trendy page turners as Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Redbook and Marie Claire. The issue was brought up in June, and plans were made to shield magazines with U-shaped covers serving to block children's eyes from the vulgar language printed on the front.
Am I the only one rolling my eyes at this unnecessary precaution?
If Wal-Mart is so set on such a "cleansing" process to rid the aisles of ungodly products, why is this chain the leading distributor in K-Y products?
Although Wal-Mart claims magazine covers implying sexual content and profane music are questioning the integrity of the corporation, it doesn't say much about the company that buying condoms at Wal-Mart is cheaper than buying them anywhere else.
But what's wrong with sexual content, anyway? Don't they have to cater to their consumers who want those things?
The company should not pretend it cares about the well-being of its consumers.
If Wal-Mart is going to censor its products, at least be consistent. To block children from seeing the "dirty words" on the front of Cosmopolitan or a sexy model posing in a skimpy sequin top, and then set up stands in the middle of the aisles with display signs describing the "warming sensation," well, that's simply contradictory.
There's nothing wrong with sex between committed couples, who are supposedly the target market for the sex products. However, the article in Ad Age explains that the marketing plan of the oil describes Valentine's Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July as being "sex holidays."
Nowhere in the ad campaign does the company come out and admit it, but when promoting its product around drunken holidays, it's not targeting exclusive, committed couples.
K-Y has managed to sneak past Wal-Mart security and find a place on the shelves that reject sexuality. Seeing as sex is part of human nature, it's a shame that oils - or even sexy magazines, for that matter - are considered inappropriate.
Sorry, Wal-Mart shoppers, but sex sells. Just look at how K-Y product sales have skyrocketed. And, it's apparent that Wal-Mart will do anything to increase profits.
So why reduce sales by removing products from the store if they're selling sex anyway? Why does it matter whether the model on the cover of Cosmo is wearing a dress with the straps off of her shoulders or gloss that makes her lips look especially pouty, if there's a sex display set up in aisle four? Is it really necessary that they stop distributing any "vulgar" music or borderline-sexy magazines they've deemed inappropriate while K-Y sales flourish?
It doesn't make much sense to me.
When it comes to being hypocritical, Wal-Mart doesn't care - it's all about making money anyway. It's good marketing on the side of the K-Y brand, but poor decisions by Wal-Mart.
Write to Whitney at
wlhoyt@gmail.com
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