--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever the reason, they sold in the…" description: "\"“Whatever the reason, they sold in the thousands, for Pickens had discovered that marketing truth … Sex Sells! Amongst his classic bestsellers were: Da..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/tony-rattigan-24944_hard-time_whatever-the-reason-they-sold-in-the-tho_270385.jpg" --- # Whatever the reason, they sold in the thousands, for… ![“Whatever the reason, they sold in the thousands, for Pickens had discovered that marketing truth … Sex Sells! Amongst his classic bestsellers were: David Cop a’ Feel, Little Dorrit does Dallas, The Old Prophylactic Shop, Hard Times and Cruel Mistresses, Our Mutual Disease, Oliver’s Wrist (that was…” quote by Tony Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/tony-rattigan-24944_hard-time_whatever-the-reason-they-sold-in-the-tho_270385.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/tony-rattigan-24944_hard-time_whatever-the-reason-they-sold-in-the-tho_270385.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/tony-rattigan-24944_hard-time_whatever-the-reason-they-sold-in-the-tho_270385.jpg) > ““Whatever the reason, they sold in the thousands, for Pickens had discovered that marketing truth … Sex Sells! Amongst his classic bestsellers were: David Cop a’ Feel, Little Dorrit does Dallas, The Old Prophylactic Shop, Hard Times and Cruel Mistresses, Our Mutual Disease, Oliver’s Wrist (that was a one off,) The Mystery of Edwin’s Droop and his latest, an expose of prostitution, The Sale of Two Titties.”” [Tony Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rattigan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marketing often exploits sensationalism, using sex appeal to drive sales despite ethical concerns. **In simple terms:** Sex sells in marketing. Key Takeaway Beware manipulative tactics. Themes media ethics consumerism Mood critical skeptical Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - book publishing - film promotion - online ads Key Concepts advertising cultural impact Questions to Reflect On - Is it ever ethical to use sex for sales? - What alternatives exist for effective marketing? A Different Perspective Such tactics can undermine trust and dignity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bestsellers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bestsellers/) [Hard time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-time/) [Hard times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-times/) [Sex sells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex-sells/) ## Related quotes > [“Those who would like to become writers attend courses on writing poetry and prose and analyze their own work and that of other writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/those-who-would-like-to-become-writers-attend-courses-on-writing/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [I'm always astonished when I go into Barnes & Noble at the number of people buying books, of course, but also at the variety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/i-m-always-astonished-when-i-go-into-barnes-noble-at-the-number-of/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [The bands I like, they don't sell too many records and the girls I like, they don't kiss too many boys. Books I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-turner/the-bands-i-like-they-don-t-sell-too-many-records-and-the-girls-i/) [Frank Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-turner/) > [Wambaugh's naturalistic portrait of the cop world turned 'Centurions' and 'The Blue Knight' (1972) into bestsellers, but his next two books made him relevant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weinman/wambaugh-s-naturalistic-portrait-of-the-cop-world-turned-centurions/) [Sarah Weinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weinman/) > [“My mother belonged to that group of low IQ individuals who find everything alarming and believe that raising your voice is the most effective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-annabelle-rc/my-mother-belonged-to-that-group-of-low-iq-individuals-who-find/) Dr Annabelle RC > [“I brought you something. It’s my sister’s coat. It gets cold in Nashville in the wintertime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-brewer/i-brought-you-something-it-s-my-sister-s-coat-it-gets-cold-in/) [Nancy B. Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [The big bestsellers aren't being created by Barnes & Noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/the-big-bestsellers-aren-t-being-created-by-barnes-noble/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [“A bestseller is a book written by a rich person of Indian roots staying in Europe for more than a decade..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himmilicious/a-bestseller-is-a-book-written-by-a-rich-person-of-indian-roots/) Himmilicious > [Negative books can be bestsellers, but seldom classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/negative-books-can-be-bestsellers-but-seldom-classics/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [When you start a new job or a particular journey, you really don't know what to expect. 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Some are just bestsellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-s-life-is-a-story-some-are-just-bestsellers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are living in a time in which movies such as 'Super Size Me' and 'An Inconvenient Truth' have made box-office history, and books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/we-are-living-in-a-time-in-which-movies-such-as-super-size-me-and-an/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [“By weaving their thoughts and feelings into the substance of reality, the Weavers had ensured anyone writing about them would secure an instant bestseller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-blackwick/by-weaving-their-thoughts-and-feelings-into-the-substance-of-reality/) [Louise Blackwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-blackwick/) > [“Have you heard the saying, 'sex sells'? Well, I'm the supplier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyra-parish/have-you-heard-the-saying-sex-sells-well-i-m-the-supplier/) [Lyra Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyra-parish/) ## More by Tony Rattigan > [“And then there were her eyes. Two grey gimlets. They had a gaze that could strip wallpaper. They made you think that she could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-rattigan/and-then-there-were-her-eyes-two-grey-gimlets-they-had-a-gaze-that/) [Tony Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rattigan/) > [“I’m sorry, I thought you were together.’ ‘Why, do I look like an organ grinder?’ said Cobb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-rattigan/i-m-sorry-i-thought-you-were-together-why-do-i-look-like-an-organ/) [Tony Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rattigan/) > [“Oh for love of the Gods, thought Jim. 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Never mind Father Yule, he sounds more like Ebenezer Scrimge from Charles Pickens’ book “A Yuletide Song”.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-rattigan/oh-dear-thought-cobb-never-mind-father-yule-he-sounds-more-like/) [Tony Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rattigan/) > [“Look,’ said Cobb, ‘I live in the city. The only wildlife I ever get to see is rats. If I want to catch a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-rattigan/look-said-cobb-i-live-in-the-city-the-only-wildlife-i-ever-get-to-see/) [Tony Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rattigan/) > [“He wasn’t really a spy; he just helped them out when they were busy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-rattigan/he-wasn-t-really-a-spy-he-just-helped-them-out-when-they-were-busy/) [Tony Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rattigan/) > [“That’s the trouble these days, too much Sax and Violins in the theatre.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-rattigan/that-s-the-trouble-these-days-too-much-sax-and-violins-in-the-theatre/) [Tony Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-rattigan/) > [“Rufus Cobb was having one of those days. You know … one of those days. 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Some are just bestsellers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-s-life-is-a-story-some-are-just-bestsellers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I grew up on a mixed diet of mass and class, and I still read that way. I hate it when people apologize for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/i-grew-up-on-a-mixed-diet-of-mass-and-class-and-i-still-read-that-way/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [When you start a new job or a particular journey, you really don't know what to expect. I mean, you hear about your name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-jerome-dickey/when-you-start-a-new-job-or-a-particular-journey-you-really-don-t/) [Eric Jerome Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-jerome-dickey/) > [Negative books can be bestsellers, but seldom classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/negative-books-can-be-bestsellers-but-seldom-classics/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [“A bestseller is a book written by a rich person of Indian roots staying in Europe for more than a decade..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himmilicious/a-bestseller-is-a-book-written-by-a-rich-person-of-indian-roots/) Himmilicious > [The big bestsellers aren't being created by Barnes & Noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/the-big-bestsellers-aren-t-being-created-by-barnes-noble/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [“I brought you something. It’s my sister’s coat. It gets cold in Nashville in the wintertime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-b-brewer/i-brought-you-something-it-s-my-sister-s-coat-it-gets-cold-in/) [Nancy B. Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [“My mother belonged to that group of low IQ individuals who find everything alarming and believe that raising your voice is the most effective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-annabelle-rc/my-mother-belonged-to-that-group-of-low-iq-individuals-who-find/) Dr Annabelle RC > [Wambaugh's naturalistic portrait of the cop world turned 'Centurions' and 'The Blue Knight' (1972) into bestsellers, but his next two books made him relevant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weinman/wambaugh-s-naturalistic-portrait-of-the-cop-world-turned-centurions/) [Sarah Weinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weinman/) > [The bands I like, they don't sell too many records and the girls I like, they don't kiss too many boys. Books I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-turner/the-bands-i-like-they-don-t-sell-too-many-records-and-the-girls-i/) [Frank Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-turner/) > [I'm always astonished when I go into Barnes & Noble at the number of people buying books, of course, but also at the variety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/i-m-always-astonished-when-i-go-into-barnes-noble-at-the-number-of/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [“By weaving their thoughts and feelings into the substance of reality, the Weavers had ensured anyone writing about them would secure an instant bestseller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-blackwick/by-weaving-their-thoughts-and-feelings-into-the-substance-of-reality/) [Louise Blackwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-blackwick/) [Browse all 15 Bestsellers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bestsellers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whatever the reason, they sold in the thousands, for Pickens had discovered that marketing truth … Sex Sells! 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