I seem to remember much ballyhoo over "that part" from the movie "Fight Club." Oh that Brad Pitt. But I digress. My main point contention is this
Those Calvin Klein ads in the '80s were effective because they were dripping with sex appeal. When a 15-year-old Brooke Shields, under the direction of Richard Avedon, said, "You know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing," we squirmed.
Um unless 15 is the new 18, we squirmed because it was a little dirty. Come on, barely (no so) legals announcing they were going commando? But hey it pushed the envelope as this campaign does. Heck, what fashion company wouldn't like to create a little buzz and controversy.
And what about Dolce? Well they seem to be doing something right. Amidst terrorism, an Iraq war and a languishing luxury goods industry, they "rock out with the cock out." 2004 sales were $689.2M (US), 50 and 78 percent respectively. Not bad for company that sells $300 t-shirts.
But still some are going to be offended by an ad for men, that ran exclusively in a men's magazine. I'm going to ignore the obvious digs at World Net Daily for quoting someone named "Peter Wood" in an article on peters. But I can't ignore the kicker (and sales pitch)
In WND Books' latest release, "The Marketing of Evil," David Kupelian takes a shocking look at how Madison Avenue has hoodwinked Americans, causing them to fall victim to some of the most stunningly brilliant and compelling marketing campaigns in modern history. Subtitled "How Radicals, Elitists, and Pseudo-Experts Sell Us Corruption Disguised as Freedom," the book is an up-close, modern-day look at what is traditionally known as "temptation" – the art and science of making evil look good."Marketing of Evil" deals not only with the selling of increasingly sexualized products to youth and others, but explores how the acceptance of divorce, abortion and other concepts have been marketed to the American people.
Yes. Pubic hair is now a part of the axis of evil. I'd argue the opposite actual. Because if the model did happen to shave down the happy trail, that would border on metrosexuality. And that, my friends is the true evil.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Jones Violet
The ad is not that bad at all, especially compared to some of the ads out there today - but I'd really rather not have to see a stranger's pubic hair sticking out of their pants when I'm out.
Maybe I'm just weird.
2 - Nancy
"Sex appeal" doesn't necessarily mean pushing it all in everyone's face. Sexy actually depends more on a sense of titillation (so to speak) and hints, not gross indulgence & exposure, altho it could be argued that's in the eye (or mind) of the beholder. But what is 'sexier': a totally nude woman, or one in a lacy peek-a-boo type thingy? A guy waving his pubes in your face, or one dressed nicely but just snugly enough to delineate the musculature beneath? I think perhaps these marketers are just reaching: having already dropped the fashion bar as low as they have previously, they don't feel they have anywhere to go but lower, which is a real problem when you've pretty much bottomed out.
3 - Jones Violet
"Sex appeal" doesn't necessarily mean pushing it all in everyone's face.
I completely agree, Nancy, and sadly, that seems to be the direction that a lot of places (and people) are going.
4 - albanesse
Click on the Secret music video... and enjoy. Just curious.. do those pants even need a zipper. The Ad is a bit much for me, but I can undestand the visual. It is almost Davidesque with the lines of the torso. Maybe we are going for that perfection.. I mean it is about time men get an eating disorder also and have random operatations to fit the perfect image of a man.. well, maybe a teen who works out every day for 3-4 hours and gets his picture air brushed so he looks like the perfect image of a man.
5 - albanesse
click on my name for the web page and play the "Secret" video
6 - Victor Plenty
Metrosexuals shave down there. Real men pluck.
7 - Matthew T. Sussman
I just reach down and pull. Whatever comes out gets thrown away. Whatever stays put, well, it was meant to be there.
I call it "destiny grooming"
8 - Victor Plenty
Nice try, Matt, but true manhood takes tweezers.
9 - Nancy
Why not go for mass pain: try waxing.
10 - Bob A. Booey
You can't pluck that shit. I shave, proudly, all the way down.
Those jeans are disgusting unless you shave. It looks painful to have a hairy bush hanging out of your pants like that.
Women's jeans have been hanging that low for a whlie already, but they wax and shave much more than men do. It's a much hotter look on chicks than dudes, unless you're really cut and defined.
That is all.
11 - Mark Sahm
Shaving = the appearance of larger package. By decreasing the surrounding area, the central phallus will appear bigger. It could be a big help to some around here.
Btw, I'm shocked that EO let a poster be named 'yourdailycockblock'. I'm jealous. I want a vulgar handle too.
12 - Bob A. Booey
Please, let's not discuss shaving. It's icky.
The reason to do it isn't to make you feel better about your manhood or lack thereof, fellows. No one's fooled and I don't like theories about the appearance of penis size. It just seems more hygenic to me -- once I started shaving, it started to become uncomfortable and even annoying when it grew back to a certain length. That's why I shave every couple of weeks.
For you single or married boys over 35 or so, I'd say it's not worth it. At a certain age, it becomes somewhat creepy because women want you to appear more normal and stable than like a sex porn freak. Maybe a little trim, but don't shave way down or you'll scare off the nice girls. And you can't get the hot, bad girls after 35 unless you're rich, which makes your pubes unimportant. If you're married or seriously committed, your wife or common-law wife is already used to your most unattractive features and sick of your body already, so don't bother.
Feel free to ask me for any other advice on being a modern guy.
That is all.
13 - Jones Violet
Bob, that is seriously funny.
A trim is definitely important for some guys.
What a conversation starter: should guys shave/wax their private bits? I'd much rather guys tend to the lower regions, than say, plucking their eyebrows.
14 - Dave Nalle
Those jeans look like something leatherboys from the 70s would have been wearing.
Dave
15 - Bob A. Booey
Thanks, Violet.
Are you a chick? I remember you were the goth space alien one who likes dead celebrities.
I don't suggest starting this conversation at all. I will say that it's very hard for men to wax -- unless you're a marine and don't mind having your twig and berries ripped raw and losing half your sperm count in the process. I wouldn't suggest shaving if you're squeamish at all either -- I've been doing it since high school and even I slightly knick myself at least once every 2 or 3 times I do. The WORST is shaving your boys down because those bastards just want to retreat and hide and it's just not a natural thing. It's not pleasant and you're likely to knick yourself in a pretty bad place. And don't use a razor -- you'll castrate yourself.
That is all.
16 - Jones Violet
I've never seen a guy discuss their grooming rituals before with such detail. I can't imagine a guy would actually want to put themselves through waxing the manly bits. I mean, ouch?
Yes, Bob, I'm a "chick".
17 - Bob A. Booey
I'm a special kind of guy like that. I love myself and my body.
I suppose it doesn't hurt anymore than chicks waxing their shit, ya know?
Are you hot, Violet? Or like artsy?
That is all.
18 - Dave Nalle
>>I've never seen a guy discuss their grooming rituals before with such detail. <<
Me either, and I hope I never do again.
Dave
19 - Bob A. Booey
And Dave is right about the leatherboys. I can't imagine that ad would appeal to heterosexual men or women.
That is all.
20 - Bob A. Booey
It's a public service so none of the rest of you will talk about shaving :) Your questions and wondering have been answered.
Dave's outraged with his hairy gray bush!
That is all.
21 - Victor Plenty
Advantage of plucking: no blades near "the boys."
22 - Jones Violet
While I don't think the ad is as bad as people are making it out to be, I don't find the ad that appealing at all, as a woman.
That guy needs to get himself to a gym and work on that flabby stomach of his....
23 - Victor Plenty
BTW, kudos to whoever did that alternate text!
24 - DrPat
You know this style will be taken up by 40+ guys with love-handles, don't you?
Think of salt-and-pepper pubes sprouting over the belt, hidden from the wearer's view by his well-developed pot, but clearly visible to everyone else.
Yuck. Just yuck!
25 - Steve S
I'm guessing that ad doesn't run in Field & Stream.