This ad makes me throw up in my mouth a little. Seriously, monogamy to the 100th degree? What does that even mean? Well, according to Hearts on Fire:
The difference being a dedication to intensity. There is simply no better word to describe our diamonds or the unique relationships they have come to symbolize over the years. It’s this belief in intensity that drives us to cut and polish our diamonds at 100 times magnification, 10 times the industry standard.
So you don’t just commit to being with one person, you really really commit. And you buy her expensive bling. So she won’t go into the negative monogamy exponentials.
From their ads it’s fairly obvious who is buying the diamond for who- and therefore who is buying “monogamy” from who. Call me crazy, but I don’t actually find the idea of my trust being bought all that romantic. I would rather, I dunno, be with someone who I trust period, bling or no bling.
Sarcasm aside, the implication that you own exclusive use of a woman’s body because you bought her a shiny rock is despicable, and you can tell them so: customerservice@heartsonfire.com. My letter is after the jump, feel free to cut and paste if you’re short for time.
PS- I do intend to find something to write about that makes me happy eventually. I promise!
Dear Hearts on Fire customer service:
I am not a diamond buyer, however I see your Monogamy100 ads on public transit, and I feel compelled to tell you I find them horribly offensive. While I see nothing wrong with advertising diamonds as symbols of love and commitment, suggesting that giving a diamond to someone somehow buys exclusive rights to their bodies is despicable. Judging from your ads, that someone is clearly a woman. Are you aware that for many years all women were considered property men could buy, and that some women are still treated this way? Is this an ideology your ad campaign intends to support?Thank you for your time and I hope to hear back from you.

November 21, 2007 at 11:14 pm
And you know…that is what a lot of men think when they buy jewelry for their women…that they now are owed something in return.
November 22, 2007 at 5:29 pm
At last! A loophole – my wedding ring has no diamond – I’m freeeeeeeeee……
You, JD, are my hero again today.
November 27, 2007 at 3:44 am
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond
January 18, 2008 at 3:39 am
If (monogamy)^100 is extreme devotion, what would (monogamy)^-100 be?
January 22, 2008 at 4:39 am
Since I have no diamond and no ring, what does that make me and my partner who are polyamorous yet with signed and witnessed documents? :I think this ad makes the link between capitalism, marriage, monogamy and the purchase of wimmin as chattel quite clear. I’ve been having conversations with wimmin and with one man over on my blog about how disgusting linking love and monogamy is. It started because one of my readers who I really enjoy having conversations with asked me why I had never discussed romantic love and my relationship with my male partner. I was like: there are a few million more important things I want to shred about marriage, heterocentrism, homophobia, sexual conservatism and monogamy. Wasting time talking about whether I love my partner, maintaining heterocentric power relations doesn’t really seem to stack up.
All this to say.. Thanks for this pic.
June 16, 2008 at 2:45 am
When I was flipping through an old magazine today, I saw this ad. Immediately, I thought the people looked like Kobe Bryant and his wife…and thought, no way…that would be VERY ironic if they were the ones in this ad. Maybe it’s b/c I’m watching the NBA finals and his face is fresh in my mind, but doesn’t the guy’s profile look like Kobe and the woman kind of looks like his wife? Am I imaging this?