**provocative** 
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[pruh-vok-uh-tiv] -[dictionary.com][1]  

adjective:
>1. tending or serving to provoke; inciting, stimulating, irritating, or vexing.

noun:
>2. something provocative.


**provoke** [pruh-vohk] -[dictionary.com][2]
   
verb: (used with object), provoked, provoking.

>2. to **stir up**, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity): *The mishap provoked a hearty laugh.*
>3. to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action.
>4. 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.**


  [1]: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/provocative
  [2]: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/provoke