Sexy Packaging: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
[[File:trina_diamond_princess.jpg|frame|<small>Okay, she ''might'' mention a "[[Fur Bikini]]" in the lyrics.</small> ]]
[[File:trina diamond princess.jpg|frame|Okay, she ''might'' mention a "[[Fur Bikini]]" in the lyrics.]]



A cover or packaging for a product uses overt sexual imagery (exactly how overt can depend on the product).
A cover or packaging for a product uses overt sexual imagery (exactly how overt can depend on the product).
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A [[Super-Trope]] to [[Fanservice Cover]], [[Contemptible Cover]], [[Lady Not-Appearing-In-This-Game]].
A [[Super-Trope]] to [[Fanservice Cover]], [[Contemptible Cover]], [[Lady Not-Appearing-In-This-Game]].
----
----
{{examples}}
Examples:
* UGO did a whole list: [http://www.ugo.com/music/25-borderline-pornographic-album-covers 25 Borderline Pornographic Album Covers]. (might be NSFW)
* UGO did a whole list: [https://web.archive.org/web/20130625181949/http://www.ugo.com/music/25-borderline-pornographic-album-covers 25 Borderline Pornographic Album Covers]. (might be NSFW)
* [[Rhythm And Blues|R&B]] and [[Hip Hop]] covers often do this, like the picture, for Trina's ''[[Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry|Diamond]] [[Everything's Better with Princesses|Princess]]'' album.
* R&B and [[Hip Hop]] covers often do this, like the picture, for Trina's ''[[Everything's Sparkly with Jewelry|Diamond]] [[Everything's Better with Princesses|Princess]]'' album.
* Of particular note is Sugar Ray's "Lemonade and Brownies."
* Of particular note is Sugar Ray's "Lemonade and Brownies."
* [http://img.maniadb.com/images/album/172/172212_1_f.jpg This cover] for R&B group changing faces, Which is advertising something that's not on the album.
* [http://img.maniadb.com/images/album/172/172212_1_f.jpg This cover] for R&B group "Changing Faces",which is advertising something that's not on the album.
* Ultra Records. Each installment in the ''Ultra.Trance'' and ''Ultra.Dance'' series feature a different bikini-clad girl on the cover.
* Ultra Records. Each installment in the ''Ultra.Trance'' and ''Ultra.Dance'' series feature a different bikini-clad girl on the cover.
* There was a package that had a woman snuggling up in a [[Pretty in Mink|white fox coat]], and having a seductive look on her face. The package was for some incense, but it was "musk" scent, so it might have been a form of [[Sex for Product]].
* There was a package that had a woman snuggling up in a [[Pretty in Mink|white fox coat]], and having a seductive look on her face. The package was for some incense, but it was "musk" scent, so it might have been a form of [[Sex for Product]].
* The cover of the [[Long Title|insanely long-titled debut album]] by [[Bow Wow Wow]] drew in some listeners by depicting the (female) lead singer nude on i's cover in an imitation of Manet's famous painting ''Déjeuner sur l'herbe''. It also drew controversy since the lead singer was only 15 at the time of the photoshoot. Manager Malcolm McLaren was sued by her parents and reached a settlement that forbade him from marketing the singer in [[Fan Service|Fanservicey]] ways.
* The cover of the [[Long Title|insanely long-titled debut album]] by Bow Wow Wow drew in some listeners by depicting the (female) lead singer nude on its cover in an imitation of Manet's famous painting ''Déjeuner sur l'herbe''. It also drew controversy since the lead singer was only 15 at the time of the photoshoot. Manager Malcolm McLaren was sued by her parents and reached a settlement that forbade him from marketing the singer in [[Fan Service|Fanservicey]] ways.
* ''X-Blades'' does this a '''lot''' with the heroine (of course, within the game as well).
* ''X-Blades'' does this a '''lot''' with the heroine (of course, within the game as well).
* Nearly any magazine about custom cars has a [[Hood Ornament Hottie|woman draped over a car]] on the cover.
* Nearly any magazine about custom cars has a [[Hood Ornament Hottie|woman draped over a car]] on the cover.
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* The ''[[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni]]'' [[Compressed Adaptation|anime]] covers are [[Covers Always Lie|full of this.]]
* The ''[[Higurashi no Naku Koro ni]]'' [[Compressed Adaptation|anime]] covers are [[Covers Always Lie|full of this.]]
* ''[[OneChanbara]]''
* ''[[OneChanbara]]''
* No box art for ''[[Ever Quest]]'' came without that Firiona Vie (aka "that bikini-clad elf chick"). Strangely, SOE made a deliberate decision to move away from sexy packaging for ''[[Ever Quest II]]'' - the initial release and the first expansion featured a scantily clad human chick named Antonia Bayle on the cover, but all the other expansion packs have featured images of that expansion's main antagonist.
* No box art for ''[[EverQuest]]'' came without that Firiona Vie (aka "that bikini-clad elf chick"). Strangely, SOE made a deliberate decision to move away from sexy packaging for ''[[EverQuest II]]'' - the initial release and the first expansion featured a scantily clad human chick named Antonia Bayle on the cover, but all the other expansion packs have featured images of that expansion's main antagonist.
** Similarly, the ''[[Spellforce]]'' series.
** Similarly, the ''[[Spellforce]]'' series.
*[[Dungeons & Dragons]]
* A series of "historical" [[Dungeons and Dragons|D20]] game supplements were published by Avalanche Press. All of the books featured a scantily clad large breasted woman on the cover, even for settings set in the most frigid climates.
** Earlier [[sourcebook]]s included OD&D ''[http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=4578 Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry]''. Its cover got a naked young lady tied to an altar. This may also explain the appearance of more than one developer with exotic fetish of the word "Eldritch" in 3e era.
* The Ravenloft supplement Van Richten's Guide to Lycanthropes features cover art depicting what is possibly supposed to be a painful transformation into a terrible beast under the light of the full moon, but more closely resembles [[Looks Like She Is Enjoying It|a woman in a nightgown mid orgasm]].
** With prudishness added later on, the trend shifted to the valley between "[[Chainmail Bikini]]" and "[[You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!]]" - an example on the latter border is the cover of ''[http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=10116 The North]'' box set. There's a giant frying some chick on a stick over bonfire, but he left her underwear to preserve the modesty.
** The [[Ravenloft]] supplement ''[http://index.rpg.net/display-entry.phtml?mainid=6822 RR7: Van Richten's Guide to Werebeasts]'' features cover art depicting what is possibly supposed to be a painful transformation into a terrible beast under the light of the full moon, but... there's a woman who [[Looks Like She Is Enjoying It]] so much that she's about to tear off her nightgown. Then again, [[Gothic Horror]] as such displays similar undertones every so often, so it's not entirely <s>bedside</s> beside the point.
** A series of "historical" d20 game supplements were published by Avalanche Press. All of the books featured a scantily clad large breasted woman on the cover, even for settings set in the most frigid climates.
* The St. Pauli Girl Beer logo certainly helps push the sales.
* The St. Pauli Girl Beer logo certainly helps push the sales.
* ''[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/47/NES_Arkistas_Ring.jpg/256px-NES_Arkistas_Ring.jpg Arkista's Ring]'' for the NES pictures Christine in a [[Chainmail Bikini]].
* ''[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/47/NES_Arkistas_Ring.jpg/256px-NES_Arkistas_Ring.jpg Arkista's Ring]'' for the NES pictures Christine in a [[Chainmail Bikini]].
* Covers for ''[[Battle Chess]]'' show the queen in a much skimpier dress than in the actual game.
* Covers for ''[[Battle Chess]]'' show the queen in a much skimpier dress than in the actual game.
* ''[[The Elder Scrolls]]: Arena'' is notorious for its [[Contemptible Cover]] featuring a warrior woman in a leather bikini standing in a colosseum, largely because the game contains ''neither'' [[Lady Not-Appearing-In-This-Game|sexy women]] nor gladiatorial combat.
* ''[[The Elder Scrolls]]: Arena'' is notorious for its [[Contemptible Cover]] featuring a warrior woman in a leather bikini standing in a colosseum, largely because the game contains ''neither'' [[Lady Not-Appearing-In-This-Game|sexy women]] nor gladiatorial combat.
* Oh, lord ''[[Record of Agarest War]]'''s US packaging. The entire outer box for the limited edition is covered in the most [[Fan Service|Fanservicey]] images they could pull from the game. For reference, the actual game is a [[Dating Sim]]/Strategy RPG which is pretty [[Fan Service|Fanservicey]] at times, but is not nearly the wall-to-wall sex romp they try to make it seem like.
* Oh, lord ''[[Record of Agarest War]]'' US packaging. The entire outer box for the limited edition is covered in the most [[Fan Service|Fanservicey]] images they could pull from the game. For reference, the actual game is a [[Dating Sim]]/Strategy RPG which is pretty [[Fan Service|Fanservicey]] at times, but is not nearly the wall-to-wall sex romp they try to make it seem like.
* Most [[Roxy Music]] album covers are like this.
* Most [[Roxy Music]] album covers are like this.
* YMMV about its sexiness, but seemingly [[Najica Blitz Tactics]]' DVD sets contained female panties inside. Given the [[Panty Shot|abundance of female undergarments]] featured in the show, it's quite fitting.
* YMMV about its sexiness, but seemingly [[Najica Blitz Tactics]]' DVD sets contained female panties inside. Given the [[Panty Shot|abundance of female undergarments]] featured in the show, it's quite fitting.
* The original ''[[Psycho]]'' poster had Janet Leigh in a bra as the central image.
* The original ''[[Psycho]]'' poster had Janet Leigh in a bra as the central image.
* The rerelease of ''69 Boyz'' 199Quad album had [http://www.coverhunt.com/go/B00005MKA2 this] as it's cover. Was also done for their [http://d.yimg.com/ec/image/v1/release/157680024;encoding=jpg;size=300;fallback=defaultImage Greatest Hits] album.
* The rerelease of ''69 Boyz'' 199Quad album had [https://web.archive.org/web/20110313084352/http://www.coverhunt.com/go/B00005MKA2 this] as it's cover. Was also done for their [http://d.yimg.com/ec/image/v1/release/157680024;encoding=jpg;size=300;fallback=defaultImage Greatest Hits]{{Dead link}} album.
* All of the ''Erotic Lounge'' album covers.
* All of the ''Erotic Lounge'' album covers.
* [[Lady Gaga]]'s ''[[wikipedia:File:ReLadyGagaTheRemixAlbum.JPG|The Remix]]''. Weirdly, while her videos/concerts are filled with fanservice, this is her only album cover with it (all others have just her face).
* [[Lady Gaga]]'s ''[[wikipedia:File:ReLadyGagaTheRemixAlbum.JPG|The Remix]]''. Weirdly, while her videos/concerts are filled with fanservice, this is her only album cover with it (all others have just her face).
* The Australian 'special edition' DVD of ''[[Clerks]]'' (which they called the 'Snowball Edition') proudly displayed the logo atop the midsection of a bikini-clad model. Because, you know, that perfectly sums up a black-and-white movie about the drab life of a convenience store clerk.
* The Australian 'special edition' DVD of ''[[Clerks]]'' (which they called the 'Snowball Edition') proudly displayed the logo atop the midsection of a bikini-clad model. Because, you know, that perfectly sums up a black-and-white movie about the drab life of a convenience store clerk.
* The cover for the 1965 LP (that's the big black disk-like thing that makes sounds) ''[http://www.franklarosa.com/vinyl/Exhibit.jsp?AlbumID=39 Whipped Cream And Other Delights]'' is literally the only reason anyone remembers that musical group. At least that album included a song named "Whipped Cream".
* The cover for the 1965 LP (that's the big black disk-like thing that makes sounds) ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20130512081113/http://www.franklarosa.com/vinyl/Exhibit.jsp?AlbumID=39 Whipped Cream And Other Delights]'' is literally the only reason anyone remembers that musical group. At least that album included a song named "Whipped Cream".
* Spoofed in an episode of ''[[Family Guy]]'' where Meg gets a makeover and becomes a pop starlet. The family's producer says they need to get her half-naked and slap her on the album cover in order to attract listeners with "hot jailbait ass". The covers shown include Meg as the Statue of Liberty (''"Statutory"'') and her sitting naked in a frying pan (''"Meg On Your Face"'').
* Spoofed in an episode of ''[[Family Guy]]'' where Meg gets a makeover and becomes a pop starlet. The family's producer says they need to get her half-naked and slap her on the album cover in order to attract listeners with "hot jailbait ass". The covers shown include Meg as the Statue of Liberty (''"Statutory"'') and her sitting naked in a frying pan (''"Meg On Your Face"'').
* ''[[The Noob]]'' [http://www.thenoobcomic.com/index.php?pos=186 shows] how this is done.


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Advertising Tropes]]
[[Category:Advertising Tropes]]
[[Category:Sexy Packaging]]
[[Category:Examples Need Sorting]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Latest revision as of 18:15, 17 January 2022

Okay, she might mention a "Fur Bikini" in the lyrics.

A cover or packaging for a product uses overt sexual imagery (exactly how overt can depend on the product).

The product really could be anything: a movie, a game, even consumer goods. And it doesn't matter if the product actually involves sex or not. It could be covers for porn films, or it could be the sticker on a jar of peanut butter. What matters for this trope is the cover shows something sexy.

And the exact form doesn't matter, save for who is most likely to buy the product.

It can even overlap with Covers Always Lie if the product has a scenes like this in the cover, but not in the actual work. If this is so, then avoid it. They're probably polishing a turd.

Of course this is justified if the product actually is about sex in some form.

A Sub-Trope of Sex Sells.

A Super-Trope to Fanservice Cover, Contemptible Cover, Lady Not-Appearing-In-This-Game.


Examples of Sexy Packaging include:
  • UGO did a whole list: 25 Borderline Pornographic Album Covers. (might be NSFW)
  • R&B and Hip Hop covers often do this, like the picture, for Trina's Diamond Princess album.
  • Of particular note is Sugar Ray's "Lemonade and Brownies."
  • This cover for R&B group "Changing Faces",which is advertising something that's not on the album.
  • Ultra Records. Each installment in the Ultra.Trance and Ultra.Dance series feature a different bikini-clad girl on the cover.
  • There was a package that had a woman snuggling up in a white fox coat, and having a seductive look on her face. The package was for some incense, but it was "musk" scent, so it might have been a form of Sex for Product.
  • The cover of the insanely long-titled debut album by Bow Wow Wow drew in some listeners by depicting the (female) lead singer nude on its cover in an imitation of Manet's famous painting Déjeuner sur l'herbe. It also drew controversy since the lead singer was only 15 at the time of the photoshoot. Manager Malcolm McLaren was sued by her parents and reached a settlement that forbade him from marketing the singer in Fanservicey ways.
  • X-Blades does this a lot with the heroine (of course, within the game as well).
  • Nearly any magazine about custom cars has a woman draped over a car on the cover.
  • Jean Paul Gaultier iconic perfume bottles shaped as a corseted torso.
  • The Higurashi no Naku Koro ni anime covers are full of this.
  • OneChanbara
  • No box art for EverQuest came without that Firiona Vie (aka "that bikini-clad elf chick"). Strangely, SOE made a deliberate decision to move away from sexy packaging for EverQuest II - the initial release and the first expansion featured a scantily clad human chick named Antonia Bayle on the cover, but all the other expansion packs have featured images of that expansion's main antagonist.
  • Dungeons & Dragons
    • Earlier sourcebooks included OD&D Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry. Its cover got a naked young lady tied to an altar. This may also explain the appearance of more than one developer with exotic fetish of the word "Eldritch" in 3e era.
    • With prudishness added later on, the trend shifted to the valley between "Chainmail Bikini" and "You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!" - an example on the latter border is the cover of The North box set. There's a giant frying some chick on a stick over bonfire, but he left her underwear to preserve the modesty.
    • The Ravenloft supplement RR7: Van Richten's Guide to Werebeasts features cover art depicting what is possibly supposed to be a painful transformation into a terrible beast under the light of the full moon, but... there's a woman who Looks Like She Is Enjoying It so much that she's about to tear off her nightgown. Then again, Gothic Horror as such displays similar undertones every so often, so it's not entirely bedside beside the point.
    • A series of "historical" d20 game supplements were published by Avalanche Press. All of the books featured a scantily clad large breasted woman on the cover, even for settings set in the most frigid climates.
  • The St. Pauli Girl Beer logo certainly helps push the sales.
  • Arkista's Ring for the NES pictures Christine in a Chainmail Bikini.
  • Covers for Battle Chess show the queen in a much skimpier dress than in the actual game.
  • The Elder Scrolls: Arena is notorious for its Contemptible Cover featuring a warrior woman in a leather bikini standing in a colosseum, largely because the game contains neither sexy women nor gladiatorial combat.
  • Oh, lord Record of Agarest War US packaging. The entire outer box for the limited edition is covered in the most Fanservicey images they could pull from the game. For reference, the actual game is a Dating Sim/Strategy RPG which is pretty Fanservicey at times, but is not nearly the wall-to-wall sex romp they try to make it seem like.
  • Most Roxy Music album covers are like this.
  • YMMV about its sexiness, but seemingly Najica Blitz Tactics' DVD sets contained female panties inside. Given the abundance of female undergarments featured in the show, it's quite fitting.
  • The original Psycho poster had Janet Leigh in a bra as the central image.
  • The rerelease of 69 Boyz 199Quad album had this as it's cover. Was also done for their Greatest Hits [dead link] album.
  • All of the Erotic Lounge album covers.
  • Lady Gaga's The Remix. Weirdly, while her videos/concerts are filled with fanservice, this is her only album cover with it (all others have just her face).
  • The Australian 'special edition' DVD of Clerks (which they called the 'Snowball Edition') proudly displayed the logo atop the midsection of a bikini-clad model. Because, you know, that perfectly sums up a black-and-white movie about the drab life of a convenience store clerk.
  • The cover for the 1965 LP (that's the big black disk-like thing that makes sounds) Whipped Cream And Other Delights is literally the only reason anyone remembers that musical group. At least that album included a song named "Whipped Cream".
  • Spoofed in an episode of Family Guy where Meg gets a makeover and becomes a pop starlet. The family's producer says they need to get her half-naked and slap her on the album cover in order to attract listeners with "hot jailbait ass". The covers shown include Meg as the Statue of Liberty ("Statutory") and her sitting naked in a frying pan ("Meg On Your Face").
  • The Noob shows how this is done.