I was nearly creamed by a bus today walking down 10th avenue when I spotted this billboard and nearly lost my balance. This site - at 18th street above the old Roxy - has been home to more than one homoerotic Armani Exchange billboard. But this one leaves the land of the ambiguous and goes straight for the jugular. I'm sorry, I believe we need a closer look...
So let's see: A man's swimsuit is falling off due to a deluge of water running down his back. And his friend/lover/fuckbuddy is entranced by the sight. As am I. Oh wait, there's some cultural art-thru-the-decades installation on this fence...
The 70s, 80s...I'm sorry but I can't concentrate with that guy's ass standing 20 feet tall. Apparantly Armani hasn't gotten the message that the Roxy closed and that this billboard would be far better suited on 8th avenue or in Hell's Kitchen. It's also a shame that the clothes at A|X suck because it's an otherwise beautiful billboard that could drive sales if the product lived up to the advertising. But hey, bless their hearts for trying.
You do know that AX is a licensee of the Girgio Armani brand and really has nothing to do with its lifestyle or design from the master himself right? The clothes is borderline awful because of the sheer fact that everything they sell has the "AX" logo on it. But regardless, I highly appreciate the ad and most importantly how they support the community.
Posted by: Steve C. | June 06, 2007 at 03:36 PM
i love this ad. i mean i really love it.
and really wish my camera worked. double damn!
Posted by: chris | June 06, 2007 at 03:40 PM
OK forget your keen eye and high taste level for advertising - this post made me do a spit take all over my lap top.
Posted by: Billy | June 06, 2007 at 07:36 PM
I believe that is an artistic representation of an anal orgasm??
Posted by: henry | June 07, 2007 at 09:31 AM
Well at least the butt's nice to look at.
Can't say much about the barbed wire though.
Posted by: Stash | June 07, 2007 at 10:54 AM
you've got to pray just to make it today
Posted by: 2Legit2Quit | June 07, 2007 at 11:15 AM
Wow, synchronicity. I just saw this billboard for the first time an hour ago. I was coming down Laurel Canyon from an audition in the valley, and it's the very first thing you see entering West Hollywood. Just in time for Pride, huh?
Posted by: Jaimie | June 07, 2007 at 08:25 PM
You could also call this 'cleaning up.'
Posted by: Dave | June 07, 2007 at 10:40 PM
yes, a very awesome ad.
Posted by: Bob Kueppers | June 08, 2007 at 04:20 PM
Isn't the image just a composite of two shots of the same guy? One of him laying down and the other with his ass on show...
Still, nice all the same :-)
Posted by: graham | June 09, 2007 at 07:42 AM
Kudos to Tom Jarrold over at AX for the creative direction, he is super talented and one classy guy.
A/X just launched a blog recently too -
http://styletraxx.com/announcements/
Posted by: matty | June 12, 2007 at 12:16 PM