Generation Y’s formative years were spent watching the Spice Girls, Britney Spears and countless shirtless boy bands gyrating in water fountains. Friends, an immensely popular show in the 1990s, depicted twentysomethings having new sexual partners on a weekly basis. And then there’s a man named Bill, who received some minor press for a few incidents involving an intern, a blue dress and a cigar.

The effect of this mass exposure to sexualized images is a generation that has relaxed attitudes towards risqué creatives. Take, for example, the following spots that aired on Canadian TV:

Dentyne Fire – “Parents”

This spot earned Cadbury Adams (who owns the Dentyne brand) a place as a Finalist in the 2005 Bessies.

After the spot aired, there was a significant jump in Dentyne’s share in the category. Source (PDF).

Contrast those results with another sexualized commercial, this time targeting the members of Generation X.

Kia Spectra – “Police”

The spot caused waves in the media, but for other reasons. The ad was pulled after several complaints.

One thing to keep in mind amidst all the flesh and saliva in the media today: the younger generation will always have more liberal values than its predecessor. Just as rock music and first-date kisses enraged the parents of yesteryear, Millennials are doing all the same things to anger their elders.

The only difference is that they put these things on YouTube.