Wednesday, February 27, 2008

1980 Penthouse subscription ad targeted men with triangular-shaped penises.

(click ad to read copy)
It's part II of the Penthouse vintage magical ad tour (part I featured a wonderfully racy/cheesy living room scene from 1972 that maybe signaled the birth of amateur porn). Here, the Bob Guccione-founded publication, "by far and away the leader in the sophisticated men's magazine market," according to the copy, directly challenged the cocksmanship of its readers. And the coupon's shape also challenged the scissorship of its readers. Also? I'm sure more than a few men tried to fill that space with a liquid that wasn't ink (eww! that's disgusting! [men are pigs, ladies.]). related: new naked-woman German typeface—Playmatica. (thanks to Simon for the image)

4 Comments:

Blogger ricpic said...

OT: Why no postings about the ad exec who committed suicide in Chicago?

I'd like to read your thoughts on the matter.

9:12 AM  
Blogger copyranter said...

here's my thoughts:
(sfx: crickets)

9:26 AM  
Blogger Kevin Erb said...

Wow, this ad is a copywriter's seizure-inducing nightmare. "By far and away"? "Its exposure of the world's most beautiful and tantalizing women"? Let's not even mention that the weak double entendre in the triangle of love has a typo in it. (Do you mean to say "Let me try it ON for size", Penthouse?)

10:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, I remember that one. As a matter of fact, I sent it in.... along with a generous clump of pubic hair in the envelope.

3:24 PM  

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