Here we have a young woman (possibly a teenager) with a vial of Fetish perfume hanging between her breasts. The text of the ad, which ran in magazines targeting young women, says:
Fetish #16: Apply generously to your neck so he can smell the scent as you
shake your head ‘no.’
I assume I don’t have to explain the implication of that one. I found it here.
.
NEW: Here’s a Noxzema ad that plays on the same idea–that women actually like being harassed:
Sent to us by Laura L., who found it at the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center website.
Comments 13
John L — April 16, 2008
This ad is also featured in Still Killing Us Softly 3, featuring Jean Kilbourne.
Green Ink — April 16, 2008
Assume you've seen this on BoingBoing- a children's book about plastic surgery!
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/04/16/childrens-book-about.html
mati — April 16, 2008
Or simply means you will be so attractive you will seduce men inadvertently, then you have to say no.
Or just the power to discard men...
Or...
Anonymous — April 16, 2008
I get the impression that it's trying to present the perfume as giving the girl the ability to treat men as playthings.
Gwen — April 16, 2008
That's an interesting perspective--also sociologically useful.
Anonymous — April 16, 2008
i think if she was using men as playthings, she would look more powerful.
instead, she is not making eye contact, looks rather young and pale, and her eyeshadow makes her look sick, or drugged, or emaciated. and the pose is a little uncertain.
i think that i would be the last person to violate another woman, but i just realized there's something i find disturbingly sexy about her saying "no" and meaning "yes" and the fact that our culture has made that kind of impact on what i find arousing.
echomrg — April 17, 2008
Just a couple of notes.
The ad is from 1997 and has been retired after complaints to the perfume producers.
M
Gwen — April 17, 2008
Oh, yes, I should have said in the post that it's not in use any more. But it's an interesting image for talking about marketing and uses of sex.
Jessica — November 30, 2009
Wow, I wore fetish when I was a kid/teenager (like 13) in the late 90s. It was definitely marketed for that age group back then, with the fun bottle and such. I vaguely remember this ad, too, as well as the persistent message in teen mags that good girls don't, nothing is sexier than respecting yourself, etc., and by the way, as you respect yourself, be sure to wear a bikini and look sexy in it.
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Taylor Hill — September 6, 2022
woow i love this