The “product” that the “Obsession Men” advertisement by Calvin Klein is selling is the unattainable ideal of masculinity in terms of body image. The anti-ad shown in the article mocks an actual Calvin Klein ad by using the same elements of the original ad, but it shows a male model photographed in a different pose that makes for a witty parody.
An essential difference between this anti-ad and an actual ad it might be mocking is that the anti-ad is actually trying to educate the individual it is exposed to. A normal advertisement does not do the same. If anything, it attempts to transform the individual into a product of capitalist society, a consumer. This anti-ad is concerned with the actual interests of the individual and the anti-ad is therefore educating the individual about freedom of choice. Normal advertisements are only telling people what elite individuals want them to buy, and ultimately their interests overshadow any valuable information that could threaten their product and profit. Anti-ads help people; normal advertisements only hurt our chances at agency and freedom of choice.
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