Look Ma! - No Bra!

in the mail there was a promotional 2007 calendar which tried to convey some healthy lifestyle encouragement while advertising low-fat 'healthy' foods

(such as Lays potato chips and Diet Pepsi)

what struck me off the cover of the calendar though, was the bra-less-ness of the woman on the foreground of the ad, and the obvious nipple suggestion:


flipping thru the calendar, what was even more interesting was how the same woman popped up again for March:


when i was a kid (in the pre-internet days), i remember rummaging thru magazines for the slightest suggestion of a nipple

it really seems to be a great tactic for creating a engaging visual image

in some situations, there is a definite interaction going on between the viewer and the image as the viewer tries to determine whether he really sees what he thinks he sees

"maybe if i just look hard enough"


these days - pornography is pervasive and it takes little effort to come across a image of bare breasts (it gets no easier than this)
but
if you visit any online environment where images of women are discussed, there is still a interesting reaction to the not-fully-revealed breast

concealing it retains desire
revealing it creates familiarity

we hate desire
we hate familiarity

but dammit we love that moment of surprise between the two
and those early moments of novelty


multimedia design lends itself to advertising, so advertising has been on my mind a lot these days
so - when i came across this calendar, and the nipple caused me to take a double take, it left a imprint with me that this may be one of the greatest advertising tactics ever - as far as encouraging interaction


though i do not see myself going out to buy any Baked Lays any time soon, i think i will investigate this situation further