Ads - Part 51

 AIDS Ads, Part 6

This is the last part in our survey of ads responding to the AIDS epidemic.  This ad provides good advice, but the photo doesn't really show anything.

Likewise, this photo is G-rated, even if the wording isn't.

Another G-rated photo in this ad, which ran before the 2008 EuroGames in Barcelona, Spain.  Surprisingly, the ad, put out by BCN Checkpoint, an organization in Barcelona, is in English, probably to reach foreign visitors to the games.

This Brazilian ad shows just a bit of butt.  The headline says "Sex, pleasure & men."

This ad shows a bit more butt ...

as does this German ad by the Hot Rubber company, which sells condoms and lube.  The title says "Give him joy."

Another ad by the Hot Rubber company.  The ad says "Three things that belong together.  Second: the Hot Rubber.  Third: the Hot Rubber lubricant."  What's the first thing?  Obviously, the naked man.

This ad by Deutsche AIDS Hilfe, a German organization, says "Would you like sex? (be) safe!"  Note that his hand isn't quite covering everything – the tip of his penis is showing.

Another Hot Rubber ad.  This one shows a bit of dick and says "Hot Rubber. Everything for the one."

We end with this ad in Spanish from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, getting as close to showing sex as we're going to get today.  The wording says "Anywhere, at any time ... with a condom."  Good advice.

Ads - Part 50

 AIDS Ads, Part 5

We continue our survey of ads responding to the AIDS epidemic.  Some ads concealed fontal nudity, like this safe sex ad by the Terrence Higgins Trust in the 1990s.

This German ad by the Hot Rubber Company sold their condoms with a little rear nudity.  The headline says "For every landing."

More rear nudity in this 1994 informational ad from the Victorian AIDS Council in Australia.

Other ads, a bit bolder, showed frontal views, although the view is still a bit dark in this ad by the German organization Deutsche AIDS Hilfe.  The text says "Men love men / not just one / safe."

Another Deutsche AIDS Hilfe ad shows a clear frontal view, saying "Sweat / Spray / Safe sex."

Another German condom ad by the Hot Rubber company.  The text: "Hot Rubber.  For tearing open."

This ad by the AIDS Action Council in Australia shows an erection poking out of the guy's pants.

This French ad by Lutte Contre le SIDA (Fight against AIDS) is even more explicit.  The headline says "Condom & lube / The inseparable couple."

This ad by the AIDS Council of New South Wales, Australia, not only talks about fucking, but the inset photos show guys fucking.

We end with this ad from the CORE program in West Hollywood, California.  In the small print, it says "Be imaginative, caring & smart.  The possibilities for exciting sex – even within limits – are endless."

More AIDS ads next time.

Ads - Part 49

 AIDS Ads, Part 4

We continue our survey of ads responding to the AIDS epidemic.  Some ads coyly concealed frontal nudity, like this public billboard in Switzerland.  But they're still showing more than a billboard in the U.S. would have shown.  The title says "Protection is also required here."

And here's another Swiss billboard, this one in English.

This Austrian ad shows a butt, but that's all.  The title says "Protection out of love," and down below it says "Let's not give AIDS a chance."

Other ads showed frontal views, but not erect.  This 1990s ad by the German organization Deutsche AIDS Hilfe says "Lovely days, lovely sand, condom and lube always with you."

Another 1990s ad by Deutsche AIDS Hilfe says "Live consciously", and down below: "Sexuality has many options.  Safer sex means to use imagination.  And a condom."

Some ads went a step further and showed an erection, like this 1993 ad by the Terence Higgins Trust, a British organization, of a guy putting a condom onto his partner's cock ...

and this 1994 ad by the Terence Higgins Trust.

And then there were ads like this one by the French organization AIDES saying "A glove for each fist" ...

and this ad by the AIDS Committee of Toronto urging safer S&M sex.  Well, to stop AIDS, everyone needed to "know the ropes."

We'll see more AIDS ads next time.

Ads - Part 48

 AIDS Ads, Part 3

We continue our survey of safe-sex ads responding to the AIDS epidemic.  Some ads showed nothing more than butts, like this ad by the AIDS Committee of Toronto ...

and this delightful public billboard in Switzerland ...

or they coyly hid the goods, like this ad or poster by the Real AIDS Grazer Kunstverein in Graz, Austria.

Other ads showed frontal views, but carefully not erect.  This interesting 1990s ad by the German organization Deutsche AIDS Hilfe sends the message that it's OK to be gay and it's OK to be disabled.  The text proclaims "Confidently gay, confidently disabled."  Down at the bottom in small print it lists safe sex practices.

Another 1990s ad by Deutsche AIDS Hilfe says "Right here? But safe!"

Our third 1990s ad by Deutsche AIDS Hilfe is a pun on Einer Trage des Anderen Last (Bear One Another's Burdens), the title of a 1988 German film, by substituting Lust for Last, so it now says "Bear One Another's Desire."

Some ads and posters went a step further and actually showed an erection, like this ad for World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, 1992, by the Association of Gays and Lesbians in Lyons, France.  The text says "Put on a condom and dive into pleasure without playing with fire."  I guess the image of a devil about to fuck an angel is supposed to illustrate playing with fire, but since the devil is wearing a condom, they're not playing with fire.

Here's a 1993 ad by the Real AIDS Grazer Kunstverein in Graz, Austria.  It's simple and direct: wear a condom, stop AIDS, and celebrate.

And other ads went as far as showing guys having sex.  In this 1993 ad by the Terrence Higgins Trust, the sex is merely suggested by the photo, though it's mentioned in the text.

But this 1990s ad by Deutsche AIDS Hilfe is direct and explicit.  The text says "Blowing OK.  Pull out before you come."

We'll see more AIDS ads and posters next time.

Ads - Part 47

AIDS Ads, Part 2 

We continue our survey of safe-sex ads responding to the AIDS epidemic.  Some ads showed nothing more than butts, like this 1990s ad for an AIDS helpline for Maori gay and bisexual men ...

and this 1990s ad urging men to keep their dildos "dishwasher safe."

Some ads showed frontal views, though some were more direct than others.  This 1990 ad by the Swiss organization AIDS Hilfe Schweitz only shows a dim silhouette of a penis.

And the frontal view is cartoonish in this 1992 ad by the AIDS Council of New South Wales, Australia.

This 1995 ad for a symposium called Schwule Gesundheit '95 (Gay Health '95) in Hannover, Germany, looks like a chorus line for a musical, not an event about a disease.

But in this 1990s ad by the CORE program promoting safer sex, the men have erections, so it's clear what it's about.

And this 1989 ad by the Comité SIDA AIDE Montréal, promoted "the pleasure of latex" on a very visible erection.

Finally, a few more ads actually showing sex.  There's a hand on a cock in this 1991 ad promoting condoms by the Gay Men's Health Crisis and AIDS ACTION Committee of Massachusetts.

And the guys in this 1990 ad from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation are, as the text says, "Ready for action ... with condom."

We end with this bizarre but memorable ad showing a man fucking a scorpion.  The text explains itself.

We'll see more AIDS ads and posters next time.

Ads - Part 46

 AIDS Ads

The AIDS epidemic produced a host of ads and posters promoting safe sex.  We start with this poster by the German organization Deutsche AIDS Hilfe featuring a Tom of Finland drawing.  At the bottom, the small print says "Auch Kondome können Leben retten" (Condoms can also save lives).

(Note: The drawing is dated 1977, but the poster must date to 1983, when Deustche AIDS Hilfe was founded, or later.  Thank you, Nakedswimmer and Ike for the correction.)

This 1989 poster is by the Gay Mens Health Crisis, offering advice in Spanish and English.

This 1990 ad by AIDS Hilfe Schweitz (Switzerland) shows a nice butt photo, with the words "und nich in den Mund abspritzen" (and don't cum in the mouth).

Another 1990 ad by AIDS Hilfe Schweitz, with another butt photo and the words "Liebe ohne Angst" (Love without fear).

Here's a 1990 ad for an AIDS help line by Deutsche AIDS Hilfe (Germany) with a full-frontal photo to grab your attention.

Another 1990 full-frontal from Deutsche AIDS Hilfe, saying "Safer Sex ist mehr als nur zwei Worte" (Safer sex is more than just two words).

And another 1990 frontal from Deutsche AIDS Hilfe.  This one says "Safer Sex - sicher für beide" (Safer sex - sure for both).

But some ads and posters got even more explicit.  I love this 1988 poster by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation – "Dress for the occasion."

Here's a 1990 ad by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, complete with condom-sheathed cock.

This 1988 ad by the AIDS Committee of Toronto actually shows men having sex, though you can't see the action.  Well, they couldn't actually show sex, right?

Wrong.  We end with a poster by the CORE program, West Hollywood, CA, showing a guy sucking cock.  Well, if you want to get the message across, it's best to be direct.

We'll see more AIDS ads and posters next time.