Sunday, November 26, 2006

Reading against the text

Watching the latest Lynx deodorant for men ad ("spray more, get more" - sounds like an ad for tomcats to me) which starts Baywatch-style with a large-chested woman running in a bikini in glorious slo-mo (there was so much titty bounce I thought at first it might be an ad for sports bras for active girls who need real support). As tens, then hundreds and eventually thousands of bikini clad tall, busty women race irresistibly towards the beach where our man is spraying his Lynx I couldn't help but think of a couple of alternative readings for this ad, somewhat different to the preferred meaning of the makers. My first thought was it would be hilarious if when they ran towards him on the beach they tore him apart with their bear hands because they were a tribe of fierce Amazonian warrior women. The second was it would be hilarious if the ad ended with the women reaching him then punching the crap out of him as he sprayed the deodorant around, yelling "stop destroying the biosphere, you stupid male bastard." Coming up with your own interpretation of the ads is usually more fun than the actual ads themselves.

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