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Vulgar, crass, meant to shock, how do you explain this to kids? Ultimately, boring, very basic, and a sad commentary on how far companies will go for profit. Obviously this brand and their "team" does not have the wit or intellectual capacity to do anything approaching wit. To paraphrase Jenny Holzer, “ABUSE OF THE PUBLIC SPACE BY ADVERTISING COMES AS NO SURPRISE.”
ReplyDeleteSeriously?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if these ads would be the subject of such repulsion if they had nude women instead?
ReplyDelete@1:55 Personally for me, repulsive advertising whether it is a male or female form. How do you explain it to kids? I am fine with this in other settings or in a publication meant for adults. This is just a banal exploitation of the nude form of any sex to sell clothes. It is not art in any way, just predatory capitalism in action.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, here we go again. I made the mistake of entering the thread on Nextdoor about this ad. -- How do you explain to kids? Kids are quite familiar with butts, to start with. How about helping them understand that they don't need to be ashamed about their bodies? This is everyone's responsibility.
ReplyDeleteIt took me a moment to register that these were male bodies since it is usually nude female bodies that are exploited in advertising. The ads are indeed "repulsive". (@1:55s word not mine) or better yet, inappropriate, in the public space.
ReplyDeleteBenetton meets Equinox. Yawn.
ReplyDeleteThere are more of these on the plywood around the vacant lot at 2nd Ave and 2nd Street, right next to the Nord Anglia school.
ReplyDeleteI don't think a couple of butts are going to scandalize children and the insinuation that this is somehow shocking pornography is total pearl-clutching. I don't think the ads are especially good though...they feel a little lazy and only half-thought out, like part of a larger campaign taken out of context. There seems to be some race message in there too though no idea what. Overall pretty meh
ReplyDeleteIMO, Acne Studio is inherently repulsive, starting with its idiotic name, and continuing to its idiotic & vastly overpriced items (and the people who buy those items). When I see someone wearing something from there, I am amazed at how incredibly gullible people can be.
ReplyDeleteAnd now it seems like Acne's advertising is aligned with the rest of Acne: idiotic, pretentious, and (in this case) offensive.
The only thing shocking about these ads is that something like this can get such a visceral reaction out of residents of the East Village in 2022. The ads clearly work as they have gotten people talking. They are not offensive or prurient in nature. Take that "won't somebody think of the children" attitude to middle America where it belongs.
ReplyDeleteThis ad is lame. It needs a big dose of graffiti.
ReplyDeleteAcne is a great brand with excellent products. Check your homophobia, there's way more offensive ads with naked women out there lol
ReplyDeleteDesigned to shock. Apparently successful
ReplyDeleteThe wish dot com version of Mapplethorpe.
ReplyDeleteThis is hilarious, I walked by these ads today with my 2 year old. I said look at those butts and we both giggled. I didn’t realize they were guy butts, doesn’t change anything either way. Wow.
ReplyDeleteLame is the appropriate description. Like a 14 year olds version of shocking.
ReplyDeleteNot allowed to post alcohol & cigarette ads near schools. yet it's ok to post in front on our way to house of worship St. George Ukraine Catholic Church. Also, next to schools and day camps: Steve & Kates summer camp & during school year Nord Anglia School. Former Nativity Catholic Church. Not to mention folks that must be pleasuring themselves. Graffiti artist needs to pay a visit to these posters.
ReplyDeleteThese ads tend to turn humans into to objects which many/I object to
ReplyDeleteFirst of all 1:52, Jenny Holzer sucks and her art is boring, dreary and moralistic. 2nd, listen to all you prudes venting about naked bodies. Sounds like a church lady coffee klatch. To quote Camille Paglia: "Get real! Get into the new age, okay? Grow up! The feminism of the 21st century will be pro-art, pro-sex, pro-porn!"
ReplyDeleteI don't see any reason to fuss about these dumb ads, but I sure don't want some dude named Glenn telling me what feminism should be, either.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing 4:18 is having a slow day at Acne? Are they selling bags or sex workers or peep booths or...
ReplyDeleteThis is advertising, they are certainly making efforts at creativity and, yeah, trying to shock a bit. But the pearl clutching in the comments here is what is really shocking. Pictures of the human body (not overly explicit, not overly erotic) is causing outrage in the East Village? Apparently some people think kids - who are regularly exposed to extreme depictions of violence in games, movies and tv, and the objectification of women in the media - can't deal with sleekly depicted photographs of the human body? Indicative of a typical American prudish outlook about our bodies.
ReplyDelete@8:47- Actually I disagree with the notion that there is any attempt at creativity here. I simply see no connection with the bags they are selling to the bodies they're placed on. Rather than Mapplethorpe a far more interesting point of departure, in my view, would have been the work of John Coplands, the British photographer who is not nearly as well known. Not sure if there is a "typical American prudish outlook", but I do know one would put in jail in many countries around the globe if they even dared to display ads such as these.
ReplyDeleteMy my my, the only thing shocking here are the prudish comments left by so many I assume are EV residents. If there was a bikini bottom on these models would that lower your collective blood pressure? Have any of you ever been to a beach, a gym, or an art museum? These adds made me look which is their sole purpose, I admit I'm not interested in the product but damn those are some fine male butts.
ReplyDelete