Top Five Raciest Ads On the Web
NSFW. Not Safe For Work. The very acronym sends up red flags for those who share office space with fellow employees -- or employers -- who may be less accepting of Web ads or sites with naughty content. But what about those times you get blindsided with unexpectedly racy content while innocently looking for, say, moisturizer or new music? What about pop-ups or banner ads on "respectable" sites that can get you in hot water with your stuffy boss, as some American Apparel ads did for lots of folks recently? And then there are the legit, non-porn sites whose content, while not X-rated, dips seriously into the NC-17 zone? We've rounded up a few of these potential problem sites, but if you get busted while checking out this story, just say "Switched made me do it!"
American Apparel
American Apparel has always rocked some pretty racy spots, but the look of its most recent wave of banner ads, which we found while innocently surfing for music on Pitchforkmedia.com, look like the Calvin Klein teen-porn spots of the early mid-'90s that shocked and appalled the mainstream. Although these ads have gotten people talking, they're a measure of how much more blasé we are about sexed-up imagery that no one's called for a ban like they did for Calvin's mag ads. Still, the ripe young women showing off the plunging V-neck Summer Shirt, short shorts and panties are so suggestive that these spots feel a little blue for the office.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Michael said 2:31PM on 7-17-2007
OUR COUNTRY IS BECOMING A MESS OF ALL THESE WHINING JERKS LIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYONES
BUSINESS, EXCEPT THE LIFE THEY ARE LIVING!
i STOPPED SMOKING, BUT, YOU NOSY CRUDS LEAVE SMOKERS ALONE. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FREE COUNTRY, LIVE YOUR OWN LIFE, NOT OTHERS.
We have good troops being killed protecting our
rights. Butt out of others business. Michael
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Dick said 2:32PM on 7-17-2007
Pitchfork.com...you were searching innocently there for music??/interestingly pitchfork.com is a horse/livestock site....mmmm
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john said 2:38PM on 7-17-2007
whoever made this column is so stupid, of course 18 and over sites are going to be nc-17 material. WHAT KIND OF SUPER IDIOT THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE TOO RACY FOR 18 year olds. AND ALSO, AS long as there's no nudity, why is it racy at all!?!!? Just look at the polls. Whoever started this column should quit life. And whoever Voted that this was racy at all. Its a women in a one piece swimsuit, not even a bikini. OMG this makes me so mad. If you dont want to see this, then you cant even go swimming, or to the beach. Because theres women wearing these, and even bikinis. " oh no close your eyes " GO Press CANCEL on your remote to life.
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Mike said 2:41PM on 7-17-2007
The author is referring to http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/
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Tiffer said 2:47PM on 7-17-2007
I hate to say it but... American Apparel does hang on the edge of too racey. I used to be in the soft goods embelishment industry and would often have books from our vendors around my house. My, at that time, 6 year old niece got a hold of one of my American Apparel books and asked why you could see through the girls clothing. In many of the pictures the girls do not wear any type of underwear and because of the fabric most of the clothing is see through, including the bottoms.
All of their clothing is geared towards a younger and more youthful crowd. As I am aware that many high fashion mags do have some nudity, you don't see many 15 y/o's asking for a $2,500 coture dress.
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rkipping said 2:51PM on 7-17-2007
Why are any of these ads considered "racy"?
Seen the ads in the Sunday papers lately?
It's the society we live in.....
I hate to mention it, but in a lot of cases, the old adage "Sex Sells" is true.
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Msj said 2:59PM on 7-17-2007
They are so many other things going on in the us that they can talk about, other then this stupid thing. If you don't like the ADD - don't look at it..
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katt said 3:04PM on 7-17-2007
you have got to be kidding me....please, we have a full on war happening, people are dying for this country and their beliefs of whatever may be left of a "free world." leave it alone. its just an ad. try to think of something else....like YOUR life. oh, unless somehow this directly effects you and yours.....and what could that possibly be? your children looking at it? get over yourself this country is going down the drains with too much @#$% already....i dont want my girl growing up thinking she has to look a certain way either, so guess what? im gonna teach her not to. duh!!!!!
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Byron Spain said 3:13PM on 7-17-2007
Last time I checked, we are all born naked. The problem with nudity is between the ears of the beholder. Sick thoughts are not corrected by clothes.
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Andrew said 3:17PM on 7-17-2007
Well todays 40 year old virgins have run out of things to whine about involveing just about evry other thing that you could possibly think of and have moved on to internet ads,Way to go guys and gals way to go.
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jeremy said 3:18PM on 7-17-2007
I agree with Michael, these nosy tree hugging fruitcakes who want to sensor every little thing in the American society.
Well, sorry you freaking fruits, I am one loud, proud, will always voice my opinion no matter who doesn't like it, straight up liberal over here, so get use to it.
If you don't like it, don't buy it, turn the freaking channel, raise your kids in a cave, never leave your house, or better yet just get use to it and shut the F&^%K up about it already.
These people are the beginnings of a communistic society, just because they are so ignorant and paranoid about anything and everything in the world, listening to that garbage propaganda pumped out by the Bush regime, they think we should lock everything down and build a freaking iron curtain around the country, I'll be damned!!!
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ROBERT S LANIER said 3:20PM on 7-17-2007
Some of the adds are a little over the top.
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atlantis2 said 3:25PM on 7-17-2007
these ads are not racy, people make too much of seeing women scantily dressed.
If the movements or poctures are not seductive then no one such be turned on or affended by an ad
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Ron Chadduck said 3:25PM on 7-17-2007
We Americans are prudes when it comes to the human body. For example, who would dare show any part of a womans nipple in any advertisement. Don't we all have them, both men and women, so whats the secret. Europe, Asia and a few other countries show things as they are. Why are we so infuriated and why the term racy adds.
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Lauren said 3:29PM on 7-17-2007
The point of an ad is to get you to look at it longer than jsut 2 seconds to actually see the clothing and the quality. That is exactly what American Apparel does, just because they do it in a way that some people are uncomfortable about doesn't mean it is racy. As a former employee for American Apparel I was surrounded by such pictures all over the store. If anything AA has started something amazing with its photos. It has taken normal people, some employees and pictured them with out make up or retouching in just the clothing, that is what advertising should be about. If you don't like the clothes or the adds then don't by into it, but don't complain and whine about it.
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MFlynnie said 3:29PM on 7-17-2007
I think there are a lot more important things in the world to worry about other than the AA ads
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KW said 3:36PM on 7-17-2007
KAT says: "you have got to be kidding me....please, we have a full on war happening, people are dying for this country and their beliefs of whatever may be left of a "free world." leave it alone. its just an ad. try to think of something else....like YOUR life. oh, unless somehow this directly effects you and yours....."
Others said things along the lines of what's the big deal, you've got to be an idiot to think this is racey, etc.
Here's the big deal: KAT's right. We do have a war on. Which is based upon the same problem here: MONEY. My personal opinion of the ad displayed above (American Apparel) is that it sexualizes minors - specifically girls. True Stat: 1 in 3 females are sexually assaulted by age 18. How many women in your life are over 18? What does that ad up to? Yes, it's a societal problem, so open your brains up and look at the bigger picture: Money is more important than anything according to our culture. Thus: a bull-$@#t war amounting to a new cultural-religious genecide sold to 'we the people' on propoganda for the purpose of earning billions worth of consumable product to a capitalist society that says raping/murdering adults and children - ours or theirs - doesn't matter - is fine so long as the guy in charge of 'our side' is making a solid profit.
Yeah, Kat, it touches my life directly. Yours, too. But it's not as simple as changing the channel. In order to truly do that, you'd have to move to Switzerland and renounce your US citizenship. --KW
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gil said 3:39PM on 7-17-2007
WAKE UP the same type swim suit was worn in the 50's when I was a kld. This isnt knew just recurring
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silvia2lambeth said 3:53PM on 7-17-2007
I think American Apparel has a soft porno pics. I am in the printing business & I hide these magz because of my 8 yr old. TOO MUCH FOR ME!!
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dennis said 3:57PM on 7-17-2007
you know,you people that dont like skin need to crawl in a box and then you wouldent have to see it.if it was up to me, i would live in the nude. its only nasty if you make it that way. if the lord didnt want it to be seen, he wouldent of gave it to us. like someone els said, this is suposed to be a free country people SO GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHOW IT IF YOU GOT IT. AND IF YOU DONT GOT IT, SHOW IT ANY WAY.
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