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Paul Joannides is a research psychoanalyst, author of Guide To Getting It On, and an editor of the American Journal of Sexuality Education. His podcast is at ThePleasureReport.com. See full bio

June 17, 2009, Sex

Comments on "Calvin Nails Its Market"

Calvin Nails Its Market

By Paul Joannides, Psy.D. on June 17, 2009 in As You Like It

Two pretty boys and one seriously skinny girl. This is not going to put a tent in the pants of your average straight guy. Read More

Nothing new here

Submitted by archdiva on June 17, 2009 - 8:08pm.

Calvin has been creating these kinds of ads since the "Obsession" perfume campaign started in the mid-80s. It was groundbreaking then, but ho-hum now. In fact, I loved the Obsession campaigns so much I declared an advertising major in college in 1985. I couldn't stomach the thought of working in that rat race by the time I graduated. Now I'm a health educator. Go figure. But I digress.

The skinny thigh? I agree -- too thin and pre-pubescent. Probably also Photoshopped to within an inch of her life and owned by a 20 year old who just needs to eat a sandwich or three.

But skinny models, hairlessness, twisting the male gaze, and rape fantasies are actually nothing new in advertising. Go to the Sociological Images (http://contexts.org/socimages/) or Shakesville (http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/) for for more commentary on that than I can possibly do justice to here.

Shakesville in particular has a great ongoing series called "Impossibly Beautiful" that really tears apart all the photoshopping and what it has done to our standards of beauty.

Nothing new here

Submitted by Paul Joannides on June 17, 2009 - 8:52pm.

Much appreciated, Arch Diva. I, too, am glad you went for health ed rather than advertising. Perhaps your classes in the latter helped you do a more interesting job of presenting the former than is often the case. Yours truly, Paul

Yikes...the D&G ad is

Submitted by Katie on June 18, 2009 - 8:23am.

Yikes...the D&G ad is seriously creepy...not only for the power dynamic, but also because they all look like oiled-up robots.

How fruity is he daydreaming

Submitted by Anonymous on June 24, 2009 - 9:48pm.

How fruity is he daydreaming of another guy wit him and some underage looking bony shorty...as opposed to 2 or more shorties. lol
Their pushing that metro and homo sexual look purposely turning young men into girly girls

It was good observation you

Submitted by Anonymous on June 25, 2009 - 4:15am.

It was good observation you made. moreover,the ad subtle message to gay community and women gender

billboards

Submitted by AmaiaNemesis on October 5, 2009 - 1:00pm.

I found the Ck billboard to be a little feminist-which is a good thing. However, its an oxymoron in the sense that although women should feel free and unashamed about having fantasies like this, the infair media standards of women sure shouldnt interfere with such fantasies. That girl is getting a lot of the wrong ind of meat.
The D&G billboard obviously portrays men in their pack mentality. It can be taken in many different ways and be open for many different views, (both of them actually) but isnt that the way art i ssupposed to be? I mean, when its not kiddy porn of course. The girl reminds me of the underfed and underdeveloped minors in Elle magazine.