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reviews_and_ramblings ([personal profile] reviews_and_ramblings) wrote2009-08-28 09:35 am

Gay Commercial: Impulse

I remember this ad on the Italian television many years ago. I think it was not exactly this one, but the same story with different actors. Anyway the concept was the same. Someone could question that it's not a nice idea for a gay guy to be attracted by a straight girl in front of his boyfriend, but I think the meaning of the spot is that, regarding the gender, the perfume is so "strong" that goes beyond your sexual preferences. And then I like the attitude of the girl when she finds out the real situation: that smile is so wide and sincere.

A woman walking down the street with her arms full of groceries gets bumped by two guys walking in the opposite direction and her groceries go flying.



One stops to help her pick them up and a seduction begins. They catch each others' gaze and -- in an amusing Biblical reference to lost innocence -- they both grab a rolling apple at the same moment. He then picks up a box of condoms and she smiles as a tune in the background sings, "The female of the species is more deadly than the male."

At that moment, the fellow is tapped on the shoulder by his buddy, who motions that they go. The woman stands up and begins looking around her as the two guys walk away. She sees two other guys leaning in close to each other, a British dandy (a cameo appearance by Quentin Crisp) and a tiny dog in a leather outfit. She then looks back at the two who bumped into her and they walk away with their arms around each other.

The one who helped looks back and smiles then shrugs his shoulders. She smacks herself on her forehead (Like the classic "Wish I had a V8" commercials in the US), realizing that she was in a gay neighborhood.

The tagline: "Men can't help acting on Impulse."

This commercial -- considered one of the first in England to overtly show a gay couple -- is a twist on the age-old perfume ad, where men spontaneously give flowers to a beautiful woman passing by.

Commercial Closet Association

Company: Unilever
Brand: Impulse
Ad Title: Groceries
Business Category: Fragrances
Media Outlets: Television
Country: United Kingdom
Region: Europe, Latin/South America
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide
Year: 1998
Target: Mainstream

[identity profile] elisa-rolle.livejournal.com 2009-08-28 10:09 am (UTC)(link)
Oh yes, the men are hot and it helps a LOT ;-) Elisa