The smaller text says,

Every hearts on fire diamond is cut and polished at 100% magnification to guarantee a life of intensity.

I honestly don’t know what we’re supposed to get out of this–that buying this ring will bring so much passion and “intensity” to your relationship (by setting your “hearts on fire”) that there will be no reason to stray? That buying her a ring will turn her on so much that the sex will be fantastic enough to satisfy him? I really don’t know.

From Metropolitan Home.

I found this Rolex ad in Metropolitan Home magazine. Pair with this ad series that plays on the idea of “generations” of class. Or this ad for Patek Philippe ads, also using the generations theme. Then compare to this Acura ad that ridicules “trust-fund,” old-money types. It could also lead to an interesting discussion about the ways in which we use the word “class” both as an economic group and as a personal characteristic (i.e., “She has class”) and the way “classiness” is here turned into something you can buy for yourself.

I found this ad in Rolling Stone and thought it was an interesting take on class. The text at the top says:

This isn’t trust-fund luxury. This is start-up, do-it-yourself, this is gonna be the next big thing luxury. A new generation has arrived.

At the bottom it says:

Introducing the all-new Acura TSX. Forget silver-haired luxury. This is modern, i-VTEC, ELS Surround Sound luxury. Luxury that innovates, with features like the most advanced on-screen weather information and alerts. And luxury that thrills, with an aggressive new body style, a re-tuned engine, and a sport-minded suspension. The TSX with Technology Package. It’s luxury for a whole new generation. See it at acura.com.

So they’re playing on the idea of the self-made man–he creates the “next big thing,” he “innovates.” And he’s young and “modern.” And “aggressive.” All in contrast to those who inherit wealth, who are “silver-haired” and, presumably, not aggressive or brave enough for this car. This could be useful for a discussion of social class, in particular the old-money/new-money divide, as well as different ideas of masculinity.

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This satirical cartoon about Wonder Woman, found here, might be an interesting conversation-starter about power and sexuality, and how we’re always expressing our own sexuality within a set of social assumptions about gender, power, and so on.

Thanks, Krystal-Lynn M.!

NEW! Here is a Wonder Woman comic (found here) that depicts her using her sexuality as a weapon. Thanks to Potts for sending this one along!

This ad is from April, 1908:

Beer as a healthy tonic–I’m surprised beer companies haven’t returned to this, now that we’re obsessed with whole grains again. Apparently they also used to call Schlitz “liquid bread.”

Thanks to Larry H. at the Los Angeles Times Daily Mirror blog!

Here’s an Axe ad, sent in by Krystal-Lynn M., the idea being that if you use Axe, women will perform oral sex on you in the bathtub:

NEW: p.j. sent us this ad for Lynx, another name that Axe is marketed under in some countries:

NEW! (Mar. ’10): Katrin sent in this video about the LynxJet marketing campaign, which plays on the idea of the sexy airline stewardess who is sexually available and eager to please her male partner:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QjcUf5pG3k[/youtube]

In this ad for Bud Lite, we see a reversal of the usual gender pattern–in this case, a woman has x-ray vision and uses it to imagine what men look like under their clothes. When a chubby man appears and she sees his body under his clothes, she’s disgusted and looks away:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOEMI8HRhlA[/youtube]

An interesting example of men’s bodies under scrutiny.