Do you have a favourite ad that’s been aimed at the gay market? Or perhaps there’s one that you just hated. Send us your thoughts on the best and worst ads to feedback@gaydarnation.com.

The advertising industry and Madonna – who after all is no longer a person but a corporation of world-domination proportions – are pretty similar beasts. Both are deft at selling us things we neither need nor want; both are creators and shapers of über-brands; and both are partial to a spot of raping and pillaging of the cultural and artistic heritage of a vibrant minority to up the cool ante and, of course, the coffers.

For the past 20 years, gayness has been the preferred pet of Madonna and the ad bods seeking a bit of chic controversy. While Her Madgesty’s current incarnation is a direct lift from the camp-soaked ‘70s gay disco scene, advertising opts for a subtler don’t-scare-the-horses approach sans the purloined Jane Fonda leotard look.

And guess what? Gay advertising has even got its own term! Gay Vague refers to ads that aren’t overtly faggy, but play around with the notion of queerness and its myriad iconography. Read our feature on gay advertising.

We asked for your points of view, so, in homage to those naughty adverteasers, here’s a rundown of your top ten gayest ads of all time. In reverse order…

10. Patrick Cox: Jockstrap (2003)
Shot by super-photographer David LaChapelle, this print campaign is on the list purely because it shows two blokes in jockstraps wrestling on the floor seemingly inflagrante delicto (shagging to me and you.) ‘Nuff said. The ad was banned in the UK but did appear in fashion mag i-D. Find out more.

9. Virgin Mobile: Run Wyclef Run Ad (2002)
Charged with homophobia on its first airing, this controversial ad features musician Wyclef Jean being arrested and chucked in clink where he’s shown showering next to a bear who asks him to pick up the soap. Classic negative stereotype, it garnered complaints (and consequently more publicity pollen) before eventually being withdrawn, but, let’s face facts, any ad that has two naked men in a shower – and in prison! – can’t be all bad. Find out more.

8. Impulse: Groceries (1998)
If you remember just one gay ad it’s probably this one as it turned the traditional ‘men can’t help acting on Impulse’ theme on its head. It’s also thought to be the first UK TV ad to show an openly gay couple. Basically, after having her shopping knocked to the ground by two men, the woman’s seduction of one of them is thwarted when he goes off with his boyfriend and she realises she’s in the gay district. Cute, humorous and very knowing. Four years latter Impulse did the same for lesbians… Find out more.

7. Diesel: V-J Day (1994)
Two pumped-up sailors smooch lustily on the quayside as all around celebrate victory. Complaints pour in. Sales soar. The fashion house denies shock tactics. Yeah, right. Beautiful shot all the same. Find out more.

6. Marmite: Lifeguard Kiss (2003)
Billed incorrectly as the first UK ad to contain a same-sex kiss, the scenario is a lifeguard gives a man the kiss-of-life after scoffing a Marmite sandwich but as the man comes round he pulls the lifeguard towards him and kisses him back. The gag being he loves Marmite so much he’s prepared to snog a man! Oh, how we cackled. Find out more.

5. Abercrombie & Fitch: All Campaigns (1996-present)
With A&F it’s hard (fnarr, fnarr!) to single out one ad because they’re all so damn sexily homoerotic, so much so their campaigns are practically a shout-out to every sexually-confused teenager on the planet. Plus, their catalogues – or magalogues - are essentially jazz mags for those of us who aren’t quite as confused. Believe it or not, but they’re only sold with a plastic cover to people over the age of 18! Find out more.

4. Milk Tray: The Milk Tray Man (1968-2000)
OK, admittedly a curve-ball choice, but think about it: did we ever actually see the woman in his life. He may have swam through oceans, parachuted through skies and skied down dale to reach her, but when he arrived at his destination he just left the choccies and buggered off like a frightened closet case. The Milk Tray Man was finally caught by the girl, but then the successful ad series ended, presumably to preserve his secret sexuality. Well, that’s my theory and I’m sticking to it. So there.

3. Levi’s: Launderette (1995)
The dreamy Nick Kamen swans into a launderette and stripteases down to his boxers single-handedly saving Levi’s (profits increased by 800%) and perking up many a gay man’s ad break. Spawned a subsequent series of equally homo-sexy commercials, but you know what they say: you never forget your first love… Find out more.

2. IKEA: Van Den Puup (2005)
Some ads earn their list placement care of their sheer camp quota and one of the campest of recent times is this gem. Starring a flamboyant fictional designer (Van Den Puup) who throws the most homo hissy fits since Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, these ads follow something of a gay vague tradition for the company who’ve often used sexual ambiguity as a selling-point to show how down with the kids they are. Find out more.

1. Calvin Klein: All Campaigns (1982-present)
Ever since he plastered a sun-drenched, emotionally-unavailable beefcake onto a Times Square billboard back in 1982, Calvin Klein has taken gay desire into the mainstream, not only making the male body unavoidably visible in pop culture but changing the way we look at it. His blue-tinted Obsession perfume ads, lavishly photographed by Bruce Weber, presented it nude in 1985, and his CK advertising – with Marky Mark, whose over-pumped cheese-boy physique was pure West Hollywood – made it young. He even plays around with pseudo-Sapphic imagery so no-one feels left out. What more can you ask for? Find out more.


Read our feature on gay advertising and find out more!

Do you have a favourite ad that’s been aimed at the gay market? Or perhaps there’s one that you just hated because of the way it portrayed homosexuality. We want to know what you think! Send us your thoughts on the best and worst ads to feedback@gaydarnation.com.

To get you thinking, here’s some the best and worst gay ads:

The Good

Levis: Taxi (1995)
Delta Lloyd: Ice Skater (1999, 2000, 2002)
Dockers: Black Dress (2002)

The Bad and the Ugly

Yahoo: Park Bum (2002) - even Graham Norton complained about this one
7Up/Seven Up: Captive Audience (2002)
Ikea: Sales Tax Evasion Day (2002)
Ikea: Starting Over (2001)
Bud Light: Opener (2002)

For a complete look at queer advertising take a look at the excellent www.commercialcloset.org.