Difficult to imagine ads like this one being produced any more, in innocence, at least. These days companies like Dolce & Gabbana are confrontational in a manner that an earlier age would probably regard as outright porn. I’m happy with both examples although the painted quality of the soldiers ad lends itself to a higher degree of fantasy. Another ad in same the series features some rather stereotypical natives standing glumly in the background while the naked guys are frolicing. The South Pacific setting could easily be tweaked in a more interesting direction with the addition of some tikis and a volcano, something like a Genet-styled version of a Mark Ryden painting, perhaps.
Original link via Boing Boing via Sexoteric via Sexornot.
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Wow–so excited to stumble across this one! I saw an original a few years back in Minneapolis and was sad I couldn’t find a copy for myself. It’s so totally gay fantasy–they must have been pretty naieve back in the day!
Wow -to finally see this ad again after seeing it during WW2 in a magazine. I was around 7 or 8 at the time & the image turned me on at the time and maybe was the first clue that my life ahead would have to be in the closet. I am now 74 and have always remembered that particular ad all these years!