Re: g_b from DNA: can brands go bent?
And Anupam Kher was Pinkoo in a B-grade flick called 'Mast Kalandar', probably one of the earliest mainstream movies to show a gay character. He was depicted as a touchy-feely sidekick who had the hots for Amrish Puri. Ajit - Original Message From: Vikram <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: gay_bombay@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 6:08:59 AM Subject: Re: g_b from DNA: can brands go bent? I remember the ad. There was a lesbian equivalent as well. I think the brand name was Chelsea Jeans. --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED] ups.com, Yabadabadoo <[EMAIL PROTECTED] .> wrote: > > hmmm, sometime in the 90's we had a brand of jeans or denims break that barrier in a not-so-subtle kind of way. i forget which brand it was, but i do remember the visual, where we had two muscled (read long haired, rock music maniac, swarthy macho) men, one with his back to the viewer, and one facing us with the look that defied any perceptions of the GAY man in India at that time (which was still not very different from the pinkoo character played by Anupam Kher in a cheese flick early on in the decade). Does anyone one know about it? it was a series of ads, of which one was this. i don't know if it created a furore in the moral sections of the society, but at least it had the i don't give a f$%& what you think! would love to get a copy of that ad. > > Vikram <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Yet another non-story created primarily out of a desire to fill space > and look cool by taking a gay angle. Still this is marginally better > done than some of the others that have appeared recently. > > Like the HT story (front page lead!) which tried to interpret the > Motorola ad with the Dolce and Gabbana endorsement as evidence that > Motorola was advertising to gays in India (would have loved to be in > the Motorola office when that came out!). Followed by another in HT > about how St.Petersburg was now the Indian gay holiday destination of > choice. I know quite a few rich gay guys, but they're more likely to > go to Panjim than St.Petersburg! > > This story at least speaks to a few people and explores the issue of > gay imagery in Indian ads - though the writer misses out on several > old ones, like some print ads with explicit gay angles, mostly > intended to shock, a Chlorets ad which I think is now on > corporateclosets. com or that Onida (?) ad with a trans character. And > the story does seem to acknowledge that the situation is a sad one > which should change as attitudes change in India. > > On the whole, as a gay man, I'm glad to see such stories which talk > about gay issues in India in generally positive terms, however much, > as a journalist, I might deplore their essential vacuousness. And DNA > carried the story well, giving it large space and a decent layout. > Also particular thanks to the writer for not using 'pink rupee', a > term that particularly makes me want to throw up! > > Vikram > > Brands stray off the straight path... > Sumita Vaid Dixit > Friday, March 02, 2007 23:53 IST > > http://www.dnaindia .com/report. asp?NewsID= 1082761 > > ...Some of them are coming out of the closet. > > > Have you seen an Orangee ad? The Parle candy makes men, women and > kids pucker their lips as they suck the liquid. In one ad, two men > are shown peeing, and one of them begins to pucker his lips, > suggesting a certain kind of behaviour. However, it is the candy that > compels people to pucker as the tag line suggests `Choos ke khao'. > Then there's a suiting ad, where a dude congratulates his pal at his > wedding and runs his fingers suggestively down his suiting-clad back. > > Tired of being straight?'' asks an ad from a Fructis hair styling > product. Snap to two blonde girls looking suggestively at each other, > spiked hair in place. Worldwide, a `Mechanics' spot for Snickers bar > shows two mechanics eating opposite ends of the bar till their lips > meet and they break apart > > Buckle up for what is viewed as homosexual behaviour, alternative > sexuality, etc in communications. It hardly raises an eyebrow > overseas, but could stir some excitement here. > > Then there's another ad for Parle Xhale which runs on the lines of > adult mint > > Samarjeet Shimpi, associate vice-president, Triton Communications, > says that the ad for Xhale was conceived from the perspective that > the Xhale mint charms people. We see all the members of the girls > family rubbing against the boy's toes under the table; it suggests > an emotion that goes beyond the bounds of charm. > > The father who is authoritarian figure, in the end gives the boy a >
Re: g_b from DNA: can brands go bent?
I remember the ad. There was a lesbian equivalent as well. I think the brand name was Chelsea Jeans. --- In gay_bombay@yahoogroups.com, Yabadabadoo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > hmmm, sometime in the 90's we had a brand of jeans or denims break that barrier in a not-so-subtle kind of way. i forget which brand it was, but i do remember the visual, where we had two muscled (read long haired, rock music maniac, swarthy macho) men, one with his back to the viewer, and one facing us with the look that defied any perceptions of the GAY man in India at that time (which was still not very different from the pinkoo character played by Anupam Kher in a cheese flick early on in the decade). Does anyone one know about it? it was a series of ads, of which one was this. i don't know if it created a furore in the moral sections of the society, but at least it had the i don't give a f$%& what you think! would love to get a copy of that ad. > > Vikram <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Yet another non-story created primarily out of a desire to fill space > and look cool by taking a gay angle. Still this is marginally better > done than some of the others that have appeared recently. > > Like the HT story (front page lead!) which tried to interpret the > Motorola ad with the Dolce and Gabbana endorsement as evidence that > Motorola was advertising to gays in India (would have loved to be in > the Motorola office when that came out!). Followed by another in HT > about how St.Petersburg was now the Indian gay holiday destination of > choice. I know quite a few rich gay guys, but they're more likely to > go to Panjim than St.Petersburg! > > This story at least speaks to a few people and explores the issue of > gay imagery in Indian ads - though the writer misses out on several > old ones, like some print ads with explicit gay angles, mostly > intended to shock, a Chlorets ad which I think is now on > corporateclosets.com or that Onida (?) ad with a trans character. And > the story does seem to acknowledge that the situation is a sad one > which should change as attitudes change in India. > > On the whole, as a gay man, I'm glad to see such stories which talk > about gay issues in India in generally positive terms, however much, > as a journalist, I might deplore their essential vacuousness. And DNA > carried the story well, giving it large space and a decent layout. > Also particular thanks to the writer for not using 'pink rupee', a > term that particularly makes me want to throw up! > > Vikram > > Brands stray off the straight path... > Sumita Vaid Dixit > Friday, March 02, 2007 23:53 IST > > http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1082761 > > ...Some of them are coming out of the closet. > > > Have you seen an Orangee ad? The Parle candy makes men, women and > kids pucker their lips as they suck the liquid. In one ad, two men > are shown peeing, and one of them begins to pucker his lips, > suggesting a certain kind of behaviour. However, it is the candy that > compels people to pucker as the tag line suggests `Choos ke khao'. > Then there's a suiting ad, where a dude congratulates his pal at his > wedding and runs his fingers suggestively down his suiting-clad back. > > Tired of being straight?'' asks an ad from a Fructis hair styling > product. Snap to two blonde girls looking suggestively at each other, > spiked hair in place. Worldwide, a `Mechanics' spot for Snickers bar > shows two mechanics eating opposite ends of the bar till their lips > meet and they break apart > > Buckle up for what is viewed as homosexual behaviour, alternative > sexuality, etc in communications. It hardly raises an eyebrow > overseas, but could stir some excitement here. > > Then there's another ad for Parle Xhale which runs on the lines of > adult mint > > Samarjeet Shimpi, associate vice-president, Triton Communications, > says that the ad for Xhale was conceived from the perspective that > the Xhale mint charms people. We see all the members of the girls > family rubbing against the boy's toes under the table; it suggests > an emotion that goes beyond the bounds of charm. > > The father who is authoritarian figure, in the end gives the boy a > certain look that borders on alternate sexual behaviour. Shimpi > clarifies again that the team had not set off on that intention, > however, over several drafts and retakes, the storyline evolved. The > ad was researched and no one found the ad objectionable. For that > matter Parle had no apprehensions running the ad considering the ad > touched upon a sensitive subject, though in a light manner. > > Far from it, the ad got a few laughs. As a matter of fact, this is > the best ads can do with alternate sexuality in ads - get laughs. > Shimpi says that at the moment, a bold subject such as homosexuality > could be dealt with in storylines to the point of humour. Overstep > that and one would be in a d
Re: g_b from DNA: can brands go bent?
hmmm, sometime in the 90's we had a brand of jeans or denims break that barrier in a not-so-subtle kind of way. i forget which brand it was, but i do remember the visual, where we had two muscled (read long haired, rock music maniac, swarthy macho) men, one with his back to the viewer, and one facing us with the look that defied any perceptions of the GAY man in India at that time (which was still not very different from the pinkoo character played by Anupam Kher in a cheese flick early on in the decade). Does anyone one know about it? it was a series of ads, of which one was this. i don't know if it created a furore in the moral sections of the society, but at least it had the i don't give a f$%& what you think! would love to get a copy of that ad. Vikram <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Yet another non-story created primarily out of a desire to fill space and look cool by taking a gay angle. Still this is marginally better done than some of the others that have appeared recently. Like the HT story (front page lead!) which tried to interpret the Motorola ad with the Dolce and Gabbana endorsement as evidence that Motorola was advertising to gays in India (would have loved to be in the Motorola office when that came out!). Followed by another in HT about how St.Petersburg was now the Indian gay holiday destination of choice. I know quite a few rich gay guys, but they're more likely to go to Panjim than St.Petersburg! This story at least speaks to a few people and explores the issue of gay imagery in Indian ads - though the writer misses out on several old ones, like some print ads with explicit gay angles, mostly intended to shock, a Chlorets ad which I think is now on corporateclosets.com or that Onida (?) ad with a trans character. And the story does seem to acknowledge that the situation is a sad one which should change as attitudes change in India. On the whole, as a gay man, I'm glad to see such stories which talk about gay issues in India in generally positive terms, however much, as a journalist, I might deplore their essential vacuousness. And DNA carried the story well, giving it large space and a decent layout. Also particular thanks to the writer for not using 'pink rupee', a term that particularly makes me want to throw up! Vikram Brands stray off the straight path... Sumita Vaid Dixit Friday, March 02, 2007 23:53 IST http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1082761 ...Some of them are coming out of the closet. Have you seen an Orangee ad? The Parle candy makes men, women and kids pucker their lips as they suck the liquid. In one ad, two men are shown peeing, and one of them begins to pucker his lips, suggesting a certain kind of behaviour. However, it is the candy that compels people to pucker as the tag line suggests `Choos ke khao'. Then there's a suiting ad, where a dude congratulates his pal at his wedding and runs his fingers suggestively down his suiting-clad back. Tired of being straight?'' asks an ad from a Fructis hair styling product. Snap to two blonde girls looking suggestively at each other, spiked hair in place. Worldwide, a `Mechanics' spot for Snickers bar shows two mechanics eating opposite ends of the bar till their lips meet and they break apart Buckle up for what is viewed as homosexual behaviour, alternative sexuality, etc in communications. It hardly raises an eyebrow overseas, but could stir some excitement here. Then there's another ad for Parle Xhale which runs on the lines of adult mint Samarjeet Shimpi, associate vice-president, Triton Communications, says that the ad for Xhale was conceived from the perspective that the Xhale mint charms people. We see all the members of the girls family rubbing against the boy's toes under the table; it suggests an emotion that goes beyond the bounds of charm. The father who is authoritarian figure, in the end gives the boy a certain look that borders on alternate sexual behaviour. Shimpi clarifies again that the team had not set off on that intention, however, over several drafts and retakes, the storyline evolved. The ad was researched and no one found the ad objectionable. For that matter Parle had no apprehensions running the ad considering the ad touched upon a sensitive subject, though in a light manner. Far from it, the ad got a few laughs. As a matter of fact, this is the best ads can do with alternate sexuality in ads - get laughs. Shimpi says that at the moment, a bold subject such as homosexuality could be dealt with in storylines to the point of humour. Overstep that and one would be in a dangerous territory. No wonder, homosexuality rarely finds expression in mainstream media. The fashion industry seems to be the only community to have accepted it, but otherwise, the subject and its expression remain largely tabooed. The reason for this is essentially closed Indian society. "It is still conservative, and to talk about homosexuality n
