WHERE SUCCESSFUL ADVERTISING MEETS LGBTQ+ EQUALITY

AdRespect Ad Library Profile

View larger version of the video Members Only!  Download video!
Save as a FavoriteSave as a FavoriteSave as a Favorite

Company: Bonds
    View Company Scorecard / Contact Company
Brand: Bonds
Ad Title: The Shirt
Business Category: Fashion/Apparel
Media Outlets: Television
Country: Australia
Region: Australia/New Zealand
Agency: DMB&B Worldwide
Year: 1998
Target: Mainstream
Ad Spotter: Catherine Benmaor
Company: Bonds
    View Company Scorecard / Contact Company
Brand: Bonds
Ad Title: The Shirt
Business Category: Fashion/Apparel
Media Outlets: Television
Country: Australia
Region: Australia/New Zealand
Agency: DMB&B Worldwide
Year: 1998
Target: Mainstream
Ad Spotter: Catherine Benmaor
Company: Bonds
    View Company Scorecard / Contact Company
Brand: Bonds
Ad Title: The Shirt
Business Category: Fashion/Apparel
Media Outlets: Television
Country: Australia
Region: Australia/New Zealand
Agency: DMB&B Worldwide
Year: 1998
Target: Mainstream
Ad Spotter: Catherine Benmaor
none

Theme(s)

Same-Sex Affection

LGBTQ+ Inclusion

Male-Fantasy Lesbian

Theme Breakdown

AdRespect Score: 
none
Help AdRespect in its mission with a tax-deductible donation!

In this hard-to-follow storyline, a woman and man undress and have passionate sex.

The next day, the man wakes before the woman, puts on her white T-shirt and goes out. She then wakes too and goes out, wearing another shirt. As she returns, she passes another woman on the stairs who looks a lot like herself, wearing the same white T-shirt she was missing.

Then in a bar, the second woman grabs the first and suddenly they are at her apartment. They start to get passionate together. The first woman strips the T-shirt from the other and puts it on, gives her a kiss, then storms out the door. The second woman, covering her breasts, runs after her to see her leave.

The tagline: "No one can rip off the original."

It's not clear if the first woman in this commercial was just manipulating the second to get the shirt or if she was into the affair. She did give her a kiss after she got the shirt back, so it implies some interest there.

This is a rare example The Commercial Closet has of bisexuality--which is downright invisible in advertising. It is also a rare case where even though the women appear to be bisexual, they are not present for the male gaze in the commercial.

none

Erin , Baltimore
I get the impression that she likes what she has just experienced and goes back for one last kiss to get that final rush of actually being with another woman. I think this is a great ad that portrays both a very real revenge-seeking mindset along with female hidden fantasy, all rolled into one, that I know are both true to my life.

Kelly , Davis, Calif.
Since the boyfriend waves from upstairs AFTER she sees the "other" woman coming down the stairs with the T-shirt on, it is also implied that her man has been with the second woman and it really IS her shirt.

Evan , Hooksett, NH
It reminded me of a Dennis Miller rant I once read: if a woman discovers her boyfriend/husband is cheating on her, she should seduce the other woman herself and then tell him about it, deriving revenge from the cross-circuiting of his anger over her discovery of the affair and his arousal over the lesbianism.

Bob , Los Angeles, CA
The Ad copy at the end and the visuals are much simpler to me: She's upset that he took her white T-shirt. When she goes to his place to get it back, she spots that he's already loaned it to a morning conquest (or live-in girlfriend). She realizes this and decides to follow the woman wearing her shirt so she can seduce her, and get her favorite T-shirt back. Which she succeeds in doing.

none



Andreja Pejic
Company: Pacific Brands
Brand: Bonds
Country: Australia
Region: Australia/New Zealand
Year: 2019

AdRespect Score:


Bonded by The Stage
Company: Pacific Brands
Brand: Bonds
Country: Australia
Region: Australia/New Zealand
Year: 2019

AdRespect Score:

none

Submit An Ad Test An Ad Rate An Ad Post Comments