Is Teenage Hotness OK?
Mark Harris writes in this week's Entertainment weekly about the hypocritical reactions to Janet Jackson's breast-baring spectacle. Harris asks why CBS, MTV and the NFL are freaking out over the exposed breast and forgetting that, in the very same half-time show, there was crotch grabbing, flag desecration and the portrayal of women as "use-and-toss" prizes for playas.
Seeing a boob is basically harmless compared to the ongoing cultural degradation fueled by marketers and pop stars going for the lowest sexual common denominator just to achieve another percentage point of market share. Having just watched "Thirteen," the Evan Rachel Wood/Nikki Reed/Holly Hunter movie about a thirteen year old who succumbs to cultural peer pressure, I felt very queasy during a scene in which the two thirteen year olds go shopping while images of provocative marketing imagery were intercut. While I'm all for hot looking women, it made me sick to see the relationship between racy marketing messages and the uncontrollable desire of young girls to achieve this over-the-top, culturally induced sexual hotness two minutes after they are out of diapers.
Or Is This Better?
Our culture is this way because nudity and sex are so shunned and hidden that finding either becomes the sole point of existence for many. Everyone wants what they can't have or don't see on a regular basis. Our media culture can't seem to carry on an open and frank discussion about sex so any discussion that does take place is wrapped in a blanket of humor or ridicule or sensationalism. Britney kisses Madonna because "oh my God" it's just so wrong. Janet exposes her breast because "oh my God" it's just so wrong. Who gives a crap if a girl kisses a girl? Why are we all so skittish about nudity? Is there anything really wrong with sex or nudity? After all, we were born nude and humans lived on this earth a lot longer without clothes than with. So, what's the big deal? As a culture, we have not figured out how to have an open and constructive discussion about sex and sexuality so we make a joke out of it. We "tee hee" our way through nude scenes in movies or we quickt cut aways because it's too embarressing. We pontificate about the evils of nudity and sexuality while ignoring or glorifying violence in video games. In effect, we are saying it's not OK to be sexy but it sure is OK to rip the head off someone's shoulders.
So if I seem to be all for more nudity and sexuality, why was I "queasy" about the "Thirteen" scene? Because those girls are traveling down a path manufactured by marketers without any explanation from their parents or other grownups as to where that path may lead and why they might want to think twice before they walk down that road.
This spoof is very much for those who hate Macs. Even if you love Macs, it's quite hilarious. Check it out.
As part of the "advertising is everywhere" trend, the ubiquitous telephone ring, not the one you hear when your phone rings but the one your hear in your ear when you make a call, is becoming an ad medium. Dubbed "ring back tones," mobile phone companies are jumping on this and offering music, celebrity greetings and jokes to amuse callers as they wait for the phone to be answered.
Record companies are jumping on board too, taking advantage of the ring time to offer clips of songs and earn royalties while doing so. It may not be long before cell phone companies begin offering reduced or free phone service in exchange for consumers listening to ads, instead of rings, while they wait for their call to be picked up.
This ad for "Touch" deoderant from Axe somehow relates the product to a guy's ability to titillate and undress women without touching them. Hmm. Regardless of the magic here, the women do seem to be enjoying it.
With a clear ratings winner, NBC has decided to pick up "The Apprentice" for another season.
A Labatt's Blue Lite Beer ad that ran during the Super Bowl in Canada is causing some controversy and CanWest Global Communications Corp.'s Global television is not clear yet on whether or not it will allow the ad to run again. In the ad, two women in a nightclub engage in a long facial suck after one womenl says, "I love your lip gloss" and the other says, "Well, have some."
Both the network and Labatt Brewing have received many comments, both positive and negative, about the ad. View the ad here. Thanks to Adrants reader Charley Brough for sending this one in.
With the tagline, "Impossible is Nothing" and featuring 22 athletes such as Muhammad Ali, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady and David Beckham, adidas is launching a year-long global advertising campaign. The campaign will center on television but roll out across other media. Work is done by 180\TBWA.
In this version of the ever increasing number of Apple commerical spoofs, a guy explains why having a computer is so much better than magazines for the masturbatory process.
Shopping in a mall is certainly not a quiet experience but it may become an even less quiet experience after InterMall Media hits consumers over the head with their new widescreen advertising monitors. The monitors will be located in high traffic areas and advertisers can buy 15, 20 or 30 second spots. The prices are cheap too - only $650-$1,300 per mall per month. For advertisers, there's some great location based targeting opportunities here. For consumers, wearing earplugs and blindfolds may become standard mall-wear.
Entitled "Fight Back," this spoof of Pepsi's Anti-RIAA commercial, which initially aired during the Super Bowl and offered consumers 100 million free music downloads, taunts the RIAA with statements such as "Payback is a Bitch" and says the RIAA cheats artists, screws consumers, and claims crime does pay. The spot was created by James Saldana and produced by IDC Films. The ad promotes the site whatacrappypresent.com which humorously illustrates how this generation views a prerecorded CD as a pointless gift and offers advice to parents on how to kids really like to get their music. The battle begins. Thanks to Adland.
