Sexual Content in Chinese and British Television Commercials: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

This study compared the use of sexual content in Chinese and British TV commercials. More than 2,400 commercials were collected from two TV channels in Britain and more than 3,000 from three TV channels in China over a two-week sampling period. In this study we measured the prevalence and amount of sexual content in each country’s sample commercials, and also made a cross-cultural comparison in terms of the nature of the sexual materials displayed. Results showed that the presence of sex in TV commercials was more prevalent in Britain than in China and that there was a greater quantity of sexual content in British commercials. Few commercials in China and none in China contained nudity, but there was a greater variety of sexual behaviours displayed in British commercials across a wider range of settings and product types. In both countries, there was a greater tendency to display sexual themes in commercials aired late in the evening. Cultural values in each country have resulted in different levels of tolerance for sex in TV commercials.