In this paper we show results of a survey aiming to study the attitudes of young Poles towards sexual appeals and ethical issues in advertising on the example of American Apparel. A strong majority thought that the use of sex appeals was provocative and distasteful. The negative feelings about a sexually provocative advertisement of American Apparel were not compatible with the respondents’ opinion about the ad. There were some notable gender differences. More women than men thought of the ad as distasteful and immoral. More women were indifferent to shockvertising, while more men were rather negative. Women thought more often than men that ethical problems in advertising should be solved using legislation and that ethical problems in advertising are culture bound.