I picked up the newspaper this morning, and mom nearly fainted.
Newsflash: I do not read the newspaper. The thought of starting my day by reading about atrocities and crimes does not excite me, thank you very much. Unless I’m looking forward to reading some groundbreaking research on human anatomy, I do not ever touch the newspaper. Or the TV remote.
After having reassured mom that I wasn’t losing my mind, (lately everything that I do is because you aren’t able to cope without Mister and therefore must be depressed) I opened the newspaper, and then I nearly fainted.
Talk about double meaning.
Does anyone else find it ridiculous that these guys are selling the Indian version of Viagra without actually once referring to sex? Notice how they talk about the “lasting happiness” in “day-to-day activities”and yet the couple in the picture are clearly being intimate.
Why do you think they would create an ad like this? Is it because the newspaper is something that children read too and they want to downplay the sex angle? Or is it because our society is generally repressed and shy of talking about sex? Also, do these things actually work?
P.S.: If I don’t respond to your comments today, please assume that I died laughing at this ad. Or crying at the state of affairs in my country.
Anawnimiss 
oh, they probably did a poll somewhere that told them this was the best way to sell their product. The only determining factor in choosing advertizing is the likelyhood of increasing sales. It’s all about money.
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I doubt that, Paul. Though it is always about money, India is rife with moral police and this might be their attempt at not offending someone!
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This ad is so ridiculous and sometimes, they appear on TV about hair loss and weight loss, boost your sexual power. There are even more ridiculous people who go for it. Any means is good means for some, I guess!
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I’m okay with people buying the product. My gripe is only with the silly attempt at being discreet.
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I’d much prefer the ads to be like this one in the US. I can’t watch a football game on TV without a viagra advert. It’s difficult to sit and listen to the announcer talking about the dangers of maintaining an erection for over 4 hours. Yikes! I think my boys know what that means now, and there’s an awkward silence that comes over the room during those commercials.
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The thing is, TV ads are horrid anyway and you can’t really watch them with your kids anyway. The language is covert but the stuff they’re doing visually is more obvious. I’d much rather have them say ‘last longer during sex’ and ‘put off ejaculation’ but not show it on-screen, you know!
The less I say about raunchy ‘music’ videos the better! Have you seen that new number featuring J-Lo’s thong-clad ass? I cringe when it comes on even though there are no children in the house!
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I haven’t seen the j-lo video, but I bet my oldest has. Is that what she wants to be remembered by???
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Hahahahahahaha!!! I just have to tell you that when I was young and stupid (not to understand these subtle messages), I had once taken such an ad to my mom and told her “hey, you always keep on complaining about being tired all day. Why not try this huh?” Needless to say, she blushed crimson red because well, my grand-dad was right there! Hahahahaha! Seriously, these are hilarious ads!!
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That must’ve been super embarrassing for your mom! And that is part of the problem. So many people must think it’s a general ‘vitality’ drug and buying it OTC! Shouldn’t something like this be prescribed by a doctor?
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Exactly!
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Two sides of this coin, the hypocrisy that runs in our country and the cowardice on the other.
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Exactly! And I don’t see why it doesn’t seem to bother anyone that much!
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Talking of taboo-subjects, I went through all the comments, and yet no one answered the last part of your questions – do these things work? 😀 #JustAnObservation
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And I would have loved to know the answer to that one myself.
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It is a catch-22 situation, so I am guessing nobody is going to answer! 😉
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Well that was an interesting Ad. Reminds me of ads back in the “good old days” when innuendo was used to sell a product. Although that picture sure doesn’t allow for much of that. It doesn’t change the fact that people have sex and what the heck are you putting into the daily paper for? That should be in a magazine ad or something. Wow…I think I am becoming a prude.
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Exactly, Pavanne! The picture kinda defeats the purpose of using innuendo, doesn’t it? And I don’t know where these ads belong. They’re everywhere and they’re driving me crazy!
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Thats the exact idea behind this advertisement. You cannot sell sex directly. There are certain laws that prohibit it. One has to rely on subtle imagery and hidden connotations for such products.
Newspapers are also apprehensive about publishing explicit sexual advertising material (barring the escort services ads. they are in the classified section. papers are not responsible for those)
You know a leading energy pills brand which a well know sportsman and Bollywood celebrity endorse saying “jeeyo jee bhar ke” also started out as a similar product but now sold under the guise of health supplement
P.S.: i know the makers of the ad in the article. hence can say this with authority
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You know what, when I wrote this post, I wasn’t really expecting an actual answer. I was just sorta throwing the question out in the universe to see what people thought, so you can imagine my inability to really say something meaningful in response! 🙂
I am so glad you answered this for me!
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And now I have another question for you – don’t they have any guidelines/rules for the images they use? Surely they are more suggestive than words!
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Okay, and don’t kill me for being this ignorant – but the good old “Hamdard ka tonic Cinkara” was not a “vitality” product, right?!
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No Idea about it
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Yes. There are. They tried to be as subtle yet as suggestive as they could.
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How funny. I love the subtlety. I suppose it might be because kids are likely to pick up a copy of the paper if it’s lying about. I tend to get a bit priggish about that stuff though, like when I’m listening to Spotify (before I paid for no ads) and these panting lusty voices would come on and be like “OH YEEAHHH OH THERE BABY YEEEAAAAH” in an ad for condoms. I was always like… what if I were driving my kids to school?! Of course, perhaps a good time to talk about safe sex. Haaa….
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If I am so icky about that image, I can’t imagine what it would be like to listen to “OH YEEAHHH OH THERE BABY YEEEAAAAH” – and I really don’t want to, unless I’m in bed with someone and those noises are coming out of my mouth – then Oh Yeah Baby! ;))
But on a serious note, I just don’t get this kind of advertising!
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A sense of inadequacy seems to reign among Delhiites. Women craving for porn is a sure sign. Rapists and their targets thinking alike.
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Is there a context to that, or are you just generalizing? In either case, what is so bad about women wanting to watch porn? And how, in god’s name, is watching porn equal to being a rapist?
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Bad? I didn’t say that, honey.
Equal to a rapist? Nope, didn’t say that either, sweety.
I guess reading gets tough, after watching porn.
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So if we’re going to be literal, what, pray, did you mean by what you did say, then?
Your comments reek of judgment, so I’d attribute my “misunderstanding” to that, not porn. Unless you speak from experience, of course.
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