In response to Gwen’s post on butts, I offer you crotches. We’re being super highbrow today.
The following not-safe-for-work ads place a product (or copy) at a woman’s crotch. Are they promising sexual access? Just trying to draw attention? Using shock tactics? I don’t know.
And, then, there’s always Tom Ford’s rather famous iterations of the crotch shot (I know, we’ve had these on the blog before, but…):
NEW! Dmitriy T. M. sent in this ad for London Fog:
See also our posts on subliminal-ish sex in advertising, not-at-all-subliminal sex in advertising, and ejaculation imagery.
(Images found here, here, here, here, here, and here.)
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 14
Sociological Images » Using Butts to Sell Stuff — May 28, 2009
[...] And we’re way behind on reading emails and submissions, so bear with us! tags: bodies, gender, marketing| Permalink| In Case of Fire, Good Luck to You Using Crotches To Sell Stuff [...]
Anonymous — May 28, 2009
"The most sought after box on the planet"??? Honestly? LOL!!!
Miriam — May 28, 2009
I wouldn't want to buy any of those products based on these ads. And the "most sought after box on the planet" woman is, um, disturbingly plastic.
Loretta — May 28, 2009
Interesting that the photos here have been so processed that the crotches in question appear more like the smoothed over non-genitalia found on Barbie dolls than actual sexual organs.
In the Tom Ford photos for instance, you should arguably be able to see the vagina through the translucent perfume bottles. Clearly, the genital features have been photoshopped away.
Lesson learned: You should desire pussy, but god forbid that it actually looks human. (Sorry if that's crude.)
Aphie — May 29, 2009
I love that the Longchamp one looks like a woman birthing that oversize, ugly handbag whilst her almost identical birthing partner clutches her in one of the traditional 'supportive' postions!
Because when incestuous lesbians mate, we all know they produce... handbags?
hexy — May 29, 2009
Whereas I love the Longchamp one because it looks like they're riding a handbag like it's a motorcycle. Very seriously.
Nique — May 29, 2009
The only one that I think might not be intentionally aiming at the crotch is the one for Seductive Search. It just seems like it's something that would be placed best at the bottom, whether the bottom of the picture is the ground or a part of her body. And those Tom Ford ads are thoroughly disturbing.
J Cubed — June 1, 2009
Sometimes a crotch shot is just a crotch shot.
jamesdotca — June 3, 2009
Not just female crotches
http://www.planetfabulon.com/2009/05/accessories_29.html
Quand la publicité donne dans le porno ! — June 23, 2009
[...] épilé d’une femme ?! Pour ceux qui en douteraient, l’illustration est à droite. Et il y en a d’autres plus subtiles, qui usent et abusent de la supercherie, dont la marque si classe : [...]
Sociological Images » Burger King “Super Seven Incher” Ad Will “Blow” You Away UPDATE — June 25, 2009
[...] posts on ejaculation imagery, subliminal sexual imagery, and not-so-subliminal sex imagery. Also: crotches and [...]
What We’ve Been Up To Behind Your Back (August 2009) » Sociological Images — September 1, 2009
[...] of, remember our post full of ads that place the product or tagline in front of a woman’s crotch? We thought so. We added an ad for London Fog, sent in by Dmitriy T. [...]