摘 要
本研究旨在探究世貿展場中以 showgirl 為促銷策略的運作方式與細節，試 圖解讀隱藏於 showgirl 現象背後的意識形態結構，從而對以性訴求為主要說服 策略的商業與消費行為提出批判。
本文回顧歷年相關報導與研究發現，showgirl 逐漸從過往單純的產品解 說員變成訴求性感、分飾多角的 3C 展場焦點，乃隨廠商需求、消費習性與社 會文化而變遷。而雖然性訴求策略仍難斷言其效果，訴求性感的 showgirl 活動 仍被 3C 廠商普遍採用，並且呈現出刻板單一的性感女性形象。
為了深入剖析展場 showgirl 活動，本研究援用 Saussure 提出的毗鄰軸/系 譜軸分析法，以及 Barthes 的意識形態分析，針對所收集之五個個案中十七個足 以代表 3C 展場 showgirl 活動樣貌的事件，進行深入的解讀。研究發現，3C 展 場活動的敘事符號結構，重點其實就是以穿著暴露的 showgirl 來貫串整個敘事 脈絡，一切的目的在以性感、性化、提供性想像的 showgirl 作為酬庸，換取男 性消費者的駐足參與，從而將 showgirl 物化為感官消費的商品，以順利達成廠 商的銷售目標。
據此，本研究對 3C 展場 showgirl 活動提出兩項批評：（一）廠商在缺乏 仔細思考下挪用性訴求說服策略於 3C 展場，反而將真正重要的產品利益與消 費者需求邊緣化；（二）以男性消費者為目標的性訴求策略，枉顧女性消費者 權益，也枉顧不關注 showgirl 活動的男性消費者，並將所有男性視為同質性的 群體，如此偏狹的性別認知及其所造成的消費者歧視，無論對兩性與社會，都 是深刻的傷害。
關鍵字：showgirl，符號學分析，女體商品化，意識形態
Abstract
This research aims to explore the function and details of “showgirls as a marketing strategy” in Taipei World Trade Center. The goal is to interpret the ideology structure hidden behind the showgirl phenomena, and to criticize adopting
“sex appeal” as a persuasion strategy of consumption.
Relating news reports and researches point out that the role of showgirls alters from simple product narrator to eye-catching sexy babe in 3C mall, which results from the demand of suppliers, consumption habits and social culture. Though the effect of sex appeal has not been proved yet, sexy showgirl activities still prevail, while the showgirls are molded into the stereotype of sexy female image.
In order to interpret the showgirl activities in World Trade Center, Saussure’s syntagm and paradigm and Barthes’ ideology analysis are applied to seventeen cases out of five core events that can sketch the showgirl incidents. The research indicates that the whole point of the 3C mall narrative structure is the half-naked showgirls, and the purpose is to present these sexy, sexual and sexually-imaginative showgirls as rewards for male consumers’ attention and gaze. Showgirls are so objectified as products of sensuous consumption to achieve the sales-volume goal.
Therefore, the research offers two criticisms regarding the showgirl activities in 3C malls: 1. the suppliers adopt sex appeal persuasion strategy without thorough consideration, which results in the marginalization of product benefits and consumer needs. 2. Aiming at the male consumers, the sex appeal strategy disregards the
interactions of female consumers and also those male consumers who are not attracted by showgirls. Neglecting the variation of male consumers, such a narrow gender definition and the discrimination towards consumers does a serious damage to both sexes and the society.
Keyword: female commodification; ideology; semiology analysis; showgirl
