provocative
[pruh-vok-uh-tiv] -dictionary.com
adjective:
- tending or serving to provoke; inciting, stimulating, irritating, or vexing.
noun:
- something provocative.
provoke [pruh-vohk] -dictionary.com
verb: (used with object), provoked, provoking.
- to stir up, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity): The mishap provoked a hearty laugh.
- to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action.
- to give rise to, induce, or bring about: What could have provoked such an incident?
Colloquially, provocative connotates a sexual reference (notice the lack of Collins' definition #1 for 'provocative': acting as a stimulus or incitement, esp to anger or sexual desire). IMO, this is only because they're some of our stronger and readily identifiable emotions. However its literal definition, from the Latin: prōvocāre, is to call forth; I.e., eliciting.
Whatever emotions the provocative subject matter provokes are the consumer's prerogative to elicit.
elicit /ēˈlisət/ verb –Google
evoke or draw out (a response, answer, or fact) from someone in reaction to one's own actions or questions.