America Runs Over Dunkin Donuts

Apparently racists have gotten a hold of one of America's favorite chefs (Rachael Ray) and peddler of fried confections (Dunkin Donuts). Right-wing hack, Michelle Malkin, declared that Ray was wearing a kaffiyeh (in the picture above), a scarf which is a staple of clothing traditionally worn by Palestinian men. And, in Malkin's mind, Palestinian automatically equals terrorist for some reason.

I'm tired of these kooks with airtime spouting off their racist views without any opposition. Not that it matters, but the scarf Ray wears in the ad is not even a kaffiyeh. At least get that right, nuts. If you're going to be a bigot, please be moderately accurate when you sound the alarm. And so what if it had been a kaffiyeh? All things Arab are not bad. I mean, are we going to do away with algebra? And hey, the terrorists also wear belts, are we going to get rid of them too?

So, Malkin's screeched, and Dunkin Donuts caved, pulling the ad. And that's what makes me angry. How dare this corporation kowtow to bigots! Thankfully, I'm not alone. The ANSWER Coalition is hopping mad too.

The fact that a giant corporation like Dunkin’ Donuts quickly pulled the advertisement is a sign that the pervasive racism, chauvinism and xenophobia peddled by right-wing bigots is a real danger. This is a classic tactic of fascist intimidation and demonization of an entire population.

We demand that Dunkin’ Donuts immediately apologize to the Arab-American community for this disgraceful surrender to racism. Until that apology is issued we will refuse to shop or buy any products marketed by the Dunkin' Donuts Corporation.

The coalition and others are organizing a boycott against DD. Learn how you can join in after the jump.

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America Runs Over Dunkin Donuts

MAN, Oh, Man, You Smell Good

I know I was talking about a Calvin Klein fragrance yesterday, but you know how the mind works ... one thing leads to another. And besides, I always love a reason to include a handsome man (or two) in the conversation. (The lovely Garrett Neff does quite nicely in that respect, I think.)

According to Now Smell This, "Calvin Klein MAN contains rosemary, mandarin, bay, nutmeg, incense, spearmint, cypress wood, and, oh dear, the usual (and overused) fragrance notes of bergamot, violet leaf, guaiac wood, sandalwood, amberwood (which is in LOTS of fragrances this year) and musk." Personally, I love perfume/cologne reviewers — especially, the new book, Perfumes:The Guide — but ultimately, the smell of the fragrance depends a lot on the chemistry of the person wearing it.

Anyway, as I was thinking about fragrance ads, in particular those for men's fragrances, I began to wonder who buys men's cologne more — men or women? I can understand women's ads being super sexy because women have been trained through years of image bombardment from fashion magazines, et al. Conversely, I always thought a lot of men's advertising was centered on the concept of the rugged man or the man's man — not on being sexy, handsome or charming, yes, but not sexy. And I'm sorry, as beautiful and sharply muscled as Garrett is, he's no man's man.

Of course, I don't underestimate the buying power of male homosexual consumers who likely enjoy the ads as much as I do. Still, I wonder, what about the straight boys? What is the appeal for them? Would they find a picture like the one above closer to the right note? Or do they just ignore the image and buy colognes based purely on scent?

Don't get me wrong, I surely love the picture of David Gandy, and I believe he has all the makings of a male supermodel. My question: What is the message of this the Dolce & Gabbana light blue fragrance ad?

I got the Matthew McConaughey ads for Stetson. The ads were designed to have wide appeal. There was the confluence of MM's star appeal, the rugged image, MM's good looks, and his down-to-Earth personality. I wanted to buy a bottle just to support the ads! I didn't care how Stetson smells.

I guess this article should be more of an exploration of what the images in fragrance advertising conjure up for us. Ultimately, I think the CK MAN and the light blue ads leave more to the imagination whereas Stetson lays it all out for you. And those two options have different appeals. Which style is more effective? I have to look at the numbers, but from my seat, the only one I was actually prepared to take action with and actually purchase was the Stetson.

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MAN, Oh, Man, You Smell Good

My Secret Obsession: The Words Did Eva In

Calvin Klein is at it again... and so are tv censors. This time, the quibble isn't over images. It's over words. That's right, ladies and gentleman ... words ... about a perfume. I love words and perfume, so I couldn't resist joining in the conversation about this. We'll go more into perfumes later.

So, anywho, the perfume — named Secret Obsession, following along the lines of its very successful Obsession fragrance — centers its campaign around film "star" (A-list or B-list? Anyone?), Eva Mendes. Kudos to Calvin Klein for branching out from its dull/blond, uber-Caucasian mandate ... yawn, *Kate I-Can't-Even-Remember-Her-Last-Name-But-She's-More-Boring-Than-Gwenyth-During-Her-CK-Years* ... even though "brown" woman would be considered sexy for a company like this ... white=classy/brown=va-voom ... I digress.

Again, back to the heart of the matter ... it seems that the CK fragrance team has managed to kick up some buzz for a product that won't even be out until September. And what quicker way to stimulate this country's Puritanical roots? Sex. This is the company that's managed to get people riled up about young models in a seedy campaign that looked like a homemade perv tape. But in an interesting twist, this time, the sex is implied.

According to wwd.com, the censors are upset by "a combination of what Mendes says — and doesn't say — layered with provocative music and lots of skin. It was shot by Steven Meisel, who also shot the print campaign. Coty executives declined to reveal the spot before its official unveiling in early June."

"It really taps into the secrecy of a private moment — where it's clear that Eva is having illicit thoughts," said Lori Singer, vice president of global marketing for the brand at Coty Prestige, "It's somewhat up to interpretation — because of how it's shot, and what you see and hear, and what you can't see and hear. You hear her voice, talking about having a sexy secret." Mendes appears alone in the ads, but Walsh and Singer are quick to point out that she isn't, well, doing any acting out of what she's vocalizing.

I wonder if it were Gwyneth Paltrow in this commercial if the censors would have such a problem with it. I mean censors have always come down hard on women of color who are being "sexy." Back in the day, it was Lena Horne in a bathtub cut out of a movie because she was deemed too sexy. In 2008, we have the same problem? Even worse, over implied sex? Really?

Well, all the controversy will probably help Calvin Klein sell all those new bottles of perfume — with industry sources estimating that the floral oriental fragrance could earn more than $120 million retail worldwide in its first year. And Eva won't suffer either. She's also doing an underwear campaign for Calvin.

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My Secret Obsession: The Words Did Eva In

YSL's $7,000+ Dress

I'm sure this is nothing new for Yves Saint Laurent, but I just saw a
$7,700 YSL dress in the June issue of W Magazine.

All I could think is that I wish YSL would donate the proceeds from
just one of these beautiful, silk twill, animal print dresses to me
and my fellow Emerging Writers Group. We'd turn that money into one
hell of a show! Ah, the lot of playwrights.

Posted from my iPod
www.piawilson.com
www.piaquarterly.com

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YSL's $7,000+ Dress

Thank You, Cali

Well, the California Supreme Court struck down a true injustice ...
finally. It should be the right of every consenting adult who wants to
get married to be able to do so.

This was never a religious issue. This is a civil issue, and we should
leave the bible and other religious arguments out of it.

So, hurray for romance! And hurray for the advancement of civil rights!

Posted from my iPod

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Thank You, Cali

Rest in Peace, Mrs. Loving

Mrs. Mildred Loving, 68 years old, passed away Friday in her rural home in Milford, Virginia.  Mrs. Loving and her husband, Richard Loving, challenged Virginia's ban on interracial marriage, and in 1967, the Supreme Court ruled in their favor, striking down such bans nationwide.  "We loved each other and got married," she said in a 1965 interview with The Washington Evening Star.  "We are not marrying the state.  The law should allow a person to marry anyone he wants."  Richard Loving died 10 years later in a car accident, when he and his wife were struck by a drunk driver.  

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Rest in Peace, Mrs. Loving