Ads that over promise

There was an article in the Sunday Age on the weekend about the imagery used by American Apparel in their advertising.

Here is a selection of quotes from the article:

"soft-porn imagery"

"semi-naked female models"

"provocative poses"

"blatant use of sex"

Believe it or not all of those quotes were taken from the first paragraph of the Sunday Age article.

Personally I'm not that bothered by the American Apparel imagery. Sex has been used to sell for years. Especially in the world of fashion.

My issue is one of over promise and under deliver.

Have you ever been in an American Apparel store? It's like going to the Bonds warehouse. But with a bigger range and better colours.

Maybe I'm missing something but the stores and the clothes they sell are nowhere near as sexy as the ads portray them to be.

Same goes for Calvin Klein.

Old Calvin has been causing controversy for years with his sexualised imagery. Again the clothes and instore experience are anything but sexy in my eyes.

His latest billboard in NY however is a whole 'nother story.


Click the pic to enlarge. Go on - you know you want to.