Smirnoff advertisement with DJ rivals Newport cigarette ads for sheer WTFness

Jesse Thorn says: "My friend Oliver Wang (proprietor of Soul Sides and prof at CSULB) wrote this great little thing."

At first glance, this image of a DJ working the turntables, with a cleavage-baring admirer looking on, seems uncomplicated: Smirnoff promises a fun, sexy time. However, a closer examination of the mise en scéne yields some instant problems.

There are no records on the turntables.

There’s not a mat on the turntables.

There’s no visible DJ mixer.

The gesture — hands posed over both turntables — doesn’t make sense.

The DJ in American culture: resonant, misunderstood