Another Queer Jewish Buddhist

From Deeper Dating to Depth Psychology Dating: The Divine Androgyne

Dating and the pursuit of the perfect partner — it's the Holy Grail of modern urban life, straight or gay. It's why there are so many organized meet-uo dating events out there. Deeper Dating is one of the best. Because it takes people beyond the snap judgement of appearance to a really deeper place. But in the ad for a British online dating site below, it gets down to the depth of Jungian psychology and archetype:

The image is of two people sliced together brings to mind the image of the Divine Androgyne (or for those less psychologically inclined, the half man/half woman carnival attractions of yore) found in alchemical texts. These texts were coded instructions to opening up to the inner feminine in order to experience divine unity within. Shel Silverstein made the point in his brilliant little book for adults and children alike, The Missing Piece, that one doesn't find completion in a partner, but within. And the mystic's path in many traditions, has emphasized this search for the Lost Princess that can only be found in one's own heart.

Heterosexual men seek this in the project of their inner feminine on the women they love. Gay men may take in their inner feminine and be open to a spirtuality that takes them deep quickly. But since our culture denigrates the feminine, divine and human, it is equally easy for a gay man to manifest the Demonic feminine, or celebrate it (hence the love of Joan Crawford). Or just as a straight man does, a gay man may project his inner feminine out and in order to integrate it, find himself attracted to men who are fey. Or there is the inner homophobia and misogyny that leads men to an almost Spartan celebration of the masculine to the obliteration of feminine qualities.

Then there is the whole issue of drag as a spiritual path that celebrates the inner feminine -- and drag as misogyny where performance of comedic femininity reinforces division rather than unity. I will write about this dynamic later this week in the review of a new film about the most politically astute and influential drag queen of the last 100 years.

See what happens when a gay Jungian Jewish Buddhist advertising copywriter sees an ad for a dating service in a British newspaper. Now if I could only get a date.

Random drag in advertising: Renault

Please explain to me how this spot sells the car to its target market.

Queer Product Watch: Saks Fifth Avenue Ruby Slipper Collection...

Today's New York Times had an ad for a new collection of shoes from Saks: the Ruby Slipper Collection. Yes, you can see one of the original pair of pumps that graced St. Judy's feet in The Wizard of Oz — they're on display tomorrow through Sunday, September 14th.

And you can buy modern "reinterpretations" of this classic by a number of big name fashion folks (see Jimmy Choo's right). I don't think clicking your heels in them will get you anywhere. Well, they won't get you to Kansas, but then, who wants to go there anyway? They might get you onstage at Comix, where last night, along with an excellent set by Keith Price there was a less than excellent set by Hedda Lettuce (drag and volume is not enough, but maybe some red shoes to go with the green dress might have helped, then again, maybe not).

Which leads me to the question, will there be more gay men buying shoes at this show than straight women?

Found in Trans-lation: Queer Advertising from Israel

This TV spot from Grey in Tel Aviv uses the classic technique of misdirection: it leads the viewer to believe/expect the ad is about one thing and it turns out to be something else entirely. What's nice is that the use of the transexual character in this spot is both appropriate and respectful. The character is not a joke, in fact the joke is on the viewer.

Oh, and a welcome to all the students in Professor McGinnis' class at Wayne State! Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to comment.

Drag in Advertising: Trannie Ghosts

This charming little TV commercial from Thailand is a combination of several things I am very interested in — folk tales and traditions from around the world, queer representation in media, and advertising. Thanks to friend Ray over at weatherpattern.com:

Drag in Advertising: Trannie Dogs?

It's a tried and true technique to put opposing visual elements together in an ad to get attention. The idea is that while the visual will shock, it will also say something positive about the product that makes it memorable in a good way. I would say that the Spanish agency that created this ad for an Alsatian beer did not succeed. Then again, since the headline reads: "German character, French refinement. The original Alsatian beer." perhaps the Spanish were thumbing their nose at their EU neighbors at the client's expense. I always thought William Wegman's weimaraner looked sad. But that was nothing to the unfortunate look on this poor pooch's pug. Like a bad drag queen, it just doesn't work. Which suggests the beer won't either.

Random Drag In Advertising: Beer, Bears and Babes

It's an advertising cliché that beer ads will be filled with either sports figures, buxom babes or both. So it's quite refreshing to see a brand willing to poke fun at the category. No surprise that this is from Canada, where drag humor was inherited from the Brits without the Puritan madness we have in this country. Not only does the advertising poke fun at the category, it does so in a way that points to the importance the brewer places on the beer. Attention getting humor that is used to create a meaningful positioning. Always a pleasure to see work like this. Which means I can't really title this post "Random Drag" since its use was anything but — except that I've run several "Random Drag" posts already, and I just couldn't give up the title. Hey, it's my blog, I'll do what I want!

Advertising in Drag: Superman Meets Wonderwoman

Lovely ad for a bar in the Philppines, courtesy of Ads of the World, where there's also a lovely Harry Potter in drag, not to mention  Darth Transvader:





This being the Philippines, and a small gay bar probably running ads in a small local publication, you can be sure they believe they are flying under the radar of licensing and copyright infringement. And I'd hate to see them brought up on charges for it, but then the local ad agency shouldn't be posting the ads to a site looked at by industry folk worldwide. All that aside, I love love love it.

Playing With It: Flaunting Queer Humor and Stereotypes in Advertising

Love it. The website is fun too. Sometimes advertising can indeed be playful in surprising ways. Oh, and if you think the media buy in Vanity Fair is safe, check out the billboard on MetroNorth:

Do Portuguese Cross-Dressers Read Time Out?

Okay, I understand that advertising is supposed to be attention getting. It has to break through our wall of indifference. But it also has to be relevant. Particularly to the target audience. So I have to ask, just who is Time Out trying to reach in this ad for Time Out Lisbon?

The headline translates as:"What you do at home is your business, what you do outside is Time Outs."

Now of course I realize that the young target that Time Out appeals to might find this amusing. But does it provide a reason to read the magazine? I think not.

I read Time Out religiously here in NYC. And I know it is for a much younger demographic than I represent. Why? Not because of the events they cover, but because of the type size, which is difficult for anyone over the age of 40 to read! Still, I soldier through every issue looking for interesting things to do in this city, because there is so much to do here and there are few places that have an almost encyclopedic listing of it all. And how else would I know that Joan of Arc of Mongolia will be playing at MOMA this coming Monday the 24th?