Eh, I think it's still the male gaze - just adding gay men to the mix at the end. The "Or, if you prefer" (or whatever they say) seems to clearly speak to the men in the audience.

I'm sorry, but the male model waving the bulldog puppy's paw at the end killed any sense of indignation I might have had about the video.

(I'm assuming heteronormativity)

5. Men are simple. Looking at nude women will be a consolation prize for anything, including disasters.
6. Men like women to be thin, young and pretty. But to attract a woman, you also need to inspire protective instincts.

Is there an equivalent "Female Gaze"? Does anyone have an example of that? Or is it just a "reverse male gaze" like a women who is hungrily eying the pool boy emulating the "male gaze".

I guess what I'm saying is I need a more clear definition of the Male Gaze so I'll know it when I see it.

The woman washes a tiny toy car. . .the man washes an actual rideable motorcycle. Interesting.

I do so love the fact that the women strip down to their undies (sorry, bodywear) while the man just makes like he might take his trousers off. And then doesn't.

well, depresso. there is a full website where he does take off his pants. Check it out.

People used to say painting is dead and advertising is the new art media. Advertising is dead and has been dead for the past two decades. The fact that advertising media can not develop better concepts, even if it is based on sexuality, is sad. What I question is who is this really targeted for since guys have much easier access to pornography these days.

You can't cherry pick stuff. It is either the entire thing or not. You can't say "this is so heteronormative! except for that one last part which isn't". Also, man, what is with the prude patrol. People like sex, and like sex with hot young people, I don't see this ad as being particularly bad.

And the observation about "ethnic flavors". Right now it seems like if you don't have people of different colors you are a racist, if you have people of several different ethnic backgrounds, you are a racist because you don't truly care and you are only doing it to be PC. So what can people do? Be genuine about having people of different races and not care about this anymore? How can you even know if someone is going to be genuine or not.

One thing that I really see going on here is attempts at mind read without a single research to support one's opinion. I think it is compltely void of any value to make an observation about something based on nothing but cynism. At least back up the statements with something, as to not end up with shallow opinions or saying something and later find out with some commenter that the advertisment/whatever was about something else entirely or made sense in the specific context in which it was made.

I don't want to sound like I dislike the blog, else I wouldn't keep coming back to it. There are great posts, and to be honest this blog has opened my mind about certain issues and showed me things I never noticed before. And I also dig coming here to antagonize when I see something that is worth talking about.

I didn't interpret the guy at the end as a nod to gay men. I saw it as a nod to straight women.

Like, "Yeah, I know we just spent a minute and half parading mostly unclothed women before your eyes, ladies. But, to prove we care about you (and your buying dollars) too, here's four seconds of a half naked man. And puppy. Girls like puppies right?"

Re: Annoyed-
How can you be so certain that you speak for "most" women?

Re: MeToo-
Ideally we wouldn't sexualize one another in order to hawk our goods, but let's look at the matter with a degree of realism.
The motivating factor for Puma's advertising department is not to enhance social discourse and promote sexual equality. It is simply to keep their jobs by creating ads that will get people to buy their merchandise. It is their job to use whatever method works best to sell said merchandise and, like it or not, using sexy ladies is a proven method.

It is OUR responsibility as consumers to avoid purchasing from companies that we find exploitive.

I think what the most disturbing aspect of this advertisement is that it coincidentally (and probably unintenionally) becomes a reminder me of the idea that when the economy dips, more people at the economic margins are put in positions where they are more likely to resort to peeling their clothes off, among other things, for ca$h, and that...that kind of takes away from any of the intended sexiness. :/

The default gender on the iphone app that is advertised in the video is male.

Notwithstanding all of the above: wtf?!

I notice that no one has commented on the fact that the woman used to represent the U.S. is black.

So...to add evidence to the debate about whether the man is meant to appeal to gay men or women, I think everyone should watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er_Zw4sdubU&feature=player_embedded