Poster
2018 (printed), 2008 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Transgender and non-binary visibility have improved exponentially in the 2010s, with the so-called 'transgender tipping point' taking place ca. 2014 when actress Laverne Cox graced the cover of Time magazine. This advertisement was designed prior to this moment in 2008 and was accompanied by a television advert featuring the same model, Karis, who's script in the TV advert read "the toughest bit about looking like a women would have to be my hair". Neil Dawson, DDB's global director for Philips, said 'We wanted to find the ultimate test for this device... It occurred to us that a man, or more specifically a transvestite, would be the ultimate test, given the combination of low pain threshold and desire for beautiful legs'.
With increased understanding in the mainstream regarding the breadth of gender identity, this advertisement reinforces a binary system which to many people, particularly in the LGBTQI+ community, would seem extremely reductive just over a decade after its issue.
With increased understanding in the mainstream regarding the breadth of gender identity, this advertisement reinforces a binary system which to many people, particularly in the LGBTQI+ community, would seem extremely reductive just over a decade after its issue.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Digital inkjet on premium semi matte 250g paper |
| Brief description | Commercial advertising poster for Philips ice epilator by the Adam&Eve DDB agency, London, printed 2018. |
| Physical description | Poster depicting genderqueer model Karis Wilde sitting in the back of a car wearing a gold mini-dress and stilettos. Underneath their smooth extended leg is the quote 'Being a man I can't take pain so instead I use a Satinelle Ice Epilator' and below, 'James (aka Karis) 25, model'. |
| Credit line | Given by adam&eveDDB |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Transgender and non-binary visibility have improved exponentially in the 2010s, with the so-called 'transgender tipping point' taking place ca. 2014 when actress Laverne Cox graced the cover of Time magazine. This advertisement was designed prior to this moment in 2008 and was accompanied by a television advert featuring the same model, Karis, who's script in the TV advert read "the toughest bit about looking like a women would have to be my hair". Neil Dawson, DDB's global director for Philips, said 'We wanted to find the ultimate test for this device... It occurred to us that a man, or more specifically a transvestite, would be the ultimate test, given the combination of low pain threshold and desire for beautiful legs'. With increased understanding in the mainstream regarding the breadth of gender identity, this advertisement reinforces a binary system which to many people, particularly in the LGBTQI+ community, would seem extremely reductive just over a decade after its issue. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.3428-2018 |
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| Record created | November 14, 2018 |
| Record URL |
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