Male Homoeroticism In The Advertising Campaigns of Dolce ...

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Male Homoeroticism In The Advertising Campaigns of
Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch
go for shopping happily. In this campaign, eye catcher role is played by the
shocking tactic, which advertisement itself is supposedly based on.
Image 2. An Advertisement Campaign of Calvin Klein 12
Not always the homoerotic presentation is offered with more than one figure.
As seen in the advertisement campaign of Calvin Klein (CK) above, just one
figure, not even fully naked, may very well be enough to emphasize
homoeroticism. In this case, the spectator is exposed to two images of the same
man, shot from two different angles. While the figure shown on the right is
presented fully clothed with a suit, t-shirt and sunglasses, the one on the left is
exhibited with a seductive approach, where he is seen either pulling his trousers
down or pulling it on, apparently wearing no underwear. Another aspect of the shot
on the left, apart from the seminaked body of the man focusing the homoerotic
gaze on himself, is that; the rising of the fly button part of the trouser, intentionally
or unintentionally, suggesting a phallic display.
Again in this advertisement campaign, the spectating male consumer is urged to
go for shopping via associating himself with the beauty and seductivness of the
male body, as if that is the commodity sold in CK’s stores, not apparel. Hereby, the
brand’s and the marketer’s target is reached.