Yes, they definitely are. And some advertisers aren't so subtle about it...

I chose this commercial as an example because it is obviously sexual. I looked at so many advertisements and commercials before coming upon this one. Some were so obviously ridiculously sexually that I thought they might be jokes for example, this axecommercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPwhMoQBg_8

I'm honestly still not quite sure if that is a real commercial or not, and if it is, can you believe it? I originally sought out to find a Gillette commercial I had seen a few times that was selling more than just razors, but I couldn't find it and instead stumbled upon these axe commercials. I think both of these axe advertisements are aimed at men, obviously, but underneath it all they are also aimed at women. Not that a woman would buy axe for herself, but perhaps for her male friend or boyfriend. Axe is advertised as something sexy to wear, other than clothing. Why wouldn't a man want to smell sexy? So sexy in fact that women's tops nearly fall off... or actually they willingly start to take them off--that's certainly what commercial #1 says. And, why wouldn't a woman want her boyfriend smelling so sexy that she wants to take her top off, per se? This commercial literally depicts women stopping in their tracks (and nearly undressing themselves) because of the Axe body wash the man is putting on.

I think this commercial is definitely aimed at both a male and female audience, and it uses sex to sell to both of these audiences. I'd say the age group it aims to sell to is teens through early-adulthood individuals. I say this because the male in the commercial seems to be either a teenager or in his early twenties--but the women are a bit older than him and that's also an obvious tactic of the sex-sells part of the commercial.

We've all been exposed to advertisements that use sex to sell their products, in fact, we have probably seen at least one or more every day of our lives--many without even realizing it. Most ads that use sex to sell are actually a bit more subtle about it, especially with older audiences. Nonetheless, obvious or subtle sex always sells. I think for women my age, Victoria's Secret Ads are the one's we fall victim to the most. They sell sex, products that are intended to make you feel sexy, and look sexy. These ads are also directed toward men, who would want their girlfriend to be "model sexy" so they buy her Victoria's Secret products, lingerie, perfume, makeup etc. It may not be something we actively realize when buying the products, but underneath it all, the sex appeal and "sex sells" part of it is always subconsciously part of the reason we buy the products.

I definitely think "sex sells" is a marketing scheme that absolutely works, for nearly all ages, and I think it always will-- its human nature.