Nudity and the Mercedes

A woman standing on a beach, facing the sea. She takes off her blouse and runs naked into the water. We see the car she drove to the beach, the Mercedes GLK, a 'small' SUV. That is the content of a new car ad now showing on television in some Asian countries. As we have come to expect in Asia, the ad doesn't show any obvious nudity, but more the suggestion of such. Yet, it is the most beautiful and touching ad to have appeared on Asian TV screens for a while.
Frontal nudity in East Asia is generally covered by a 'mosaic' - whether it be a scene in a Hollywood or European movie, or a news report about a nude protest or a new naturist beach.
Unfortunately, the advertising world in Asia often has a warped view of the use of naked bodies. While in Europe, almost everybody grows up with pictures of nude people promoting relevant products such as soap, cosmetics and underwear, in Asia, the female body is there to be exploited - to sell bikes, furniture, real estate, rooms at seedy motels. Too often, the commercials and posters are obviously cheap - cheap in style, cheap in budget, cheap in exploiting women for purposes of titillation.
Fortunately, the Mercedes commercial is none of that. I have no idea where it was shot, when it was made and who was behind the concept, but despite promoting a car - an object unrelated to nudity - it is tender, touching and makes you feel good about your body and about the beach. I hope the commercial will be a first step toward what I would call 'responsible nudity' on TV.
Mercedes Taiwan posted the ad on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MercedesBenzTw
For a positive use of total nudity in advertising, watch this commercial - famous in naturist circles - from skincare company Elave. It shows complete frontal male and female nudity, yet it is sensitive and totally acceptable. We have some way to go before we see commercials like that on television, especially in Asia.
Visit http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1xy9f_elave_nothing_to_hide_ads

INF World Congress and the Future of Asianaturist

Admittedly, we didn't find many reports about the 32nd World Congress of the International Naturist Federation last weekend in Pizzo Greco, Italy. During, just before and after the congress I looked up the web sites of major Italian newspapers such as La Stampa, Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica, but I couldn't find anything. Maybe, the reports were too well hidden, or they just did not bother amid all the infighting in Italian politics, the economy and the 9/11 anniversary.
Over the following weeks, I'm sure more news about the decisions and discussions at the INF World Congress will become known. Unfortunately, it might take at least two weeks and maybe one month before that news will reach you through this blog, because we are taking that time for a leave.
A trip to Europe is the first reason - the wrong time of the year to be visiting many naturist beaches, that is sure - but we are also rethinking the approach of this blog. Reporting on naturism in Asia is interesting because there are many naturists in this continent waiting for their governments to catch on to the benefits of naturism just like countries mainly in Europe, the Americas and Oceania have done. On the other hand, because naturism is still in its pre-organized stage here, that has meant that we have had a lack of news and a shortage of information.
Therefore, we feel the need that a more general and expansive approach might be needed to naturism in Asia. We could go beyond reporting on small events in naturism in this region without dropping the theme altogether. In other words, offer a mix of Asian naturist news with more general information and thoughts.
The new blog, potentially with a new name, should come to light some time in October 2010. We are also thinking about a related Twitter service and a higher frequency of posts, but that all depends on a variety of factors which have to become clearer over the next few weeks.
In any event, we'll be back, see you in October and enjoy the rest of a naturist-friendly September.

Real Naturist of the Year 2008: Pan Ying-hua

Taiwanese writer Pan Ying-hua is the Real Naturist of the Year 2008 for publishing the book “Nude: Ten Years of Conversations with my Body” about the naturist lifestyle amid the restrictions of Taiwanese laws and society.
The book features numerous pictures of Pan and her friends enjoying the naturist lifestyle in the natural setting of their home region of Taitung in Southeastern Taiwan, a sparsely populated area known for its quiet and beautiful coastlines and mountains in a polluted and noisy country.
While not widely available in book stores across Taiwan, the book has received uncharacteristically positive media exposure. Even its many pictures are not designed to titillate, but work to show the naturalness of the naturist lifestyle.
More trailblazers like Pan are needed to give the naturist movement stronger roots in Asia, roots from which a healthier attitude toward natural, non-sexual nudity can grow, and a true naturist movement can arise. The publication of a book like Pan's gives hope that Asian countries like Taiwan will also once host naturist beaches, naturist resorts, and movements that can take part in international organizations like the International Naturist Federation.
You can find Pan's writings in Mandarin Chinese at her blog www.wretch.cc/blog/ibubunu.