Just went past me on television: an ad for Magnum Ice Cream Bars:
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(from the Magnum Ice Cream site; “Magnum Ice Cream Bars are made with creamy Ice Cream and Belgian Chocolate”). The bars are big in size and big in flavor. The ads tend to feature (female) models with bars in their mouths: both oral and phallic. Here’s model Lucy Wolfert in one ad:
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Magnum things are all about size and masculinity.
Magnum ice cream bars. A magnum of champagne. Magnum condoms by Trojan. Magnum cars and trucks. Magnum cartridges and firearms. And of course Thomas Magnum of Magnum, P.I., as played by Tom Selleck.
It starts with the Latin magnum (neuter nominative singular of the magn- stem) ‘great, big’.
On the ice cream bars. From Wikipedia:
Magnum is an ice cream brand owned by the British/Dutch Unilever company and sold as part of the Heartbrand line of products in most countries.
… In 2011, Magnum ice cream was launched in the US and Canada with six varieties: Double Caramel, Double Chocolate, Classic, Almond, White and Dark.
The magnum bottle. A magnum is a wine bottle of twice the standard size, normally 1.5 liters, especially of champagne. Sizes, in number of standard bottles (750 ml):
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So a magnum is definitely big, though not as big as they come.
Magnum condoms. A condom brand manufactured by Trojan. From the Trojan site, where of course the name is in all caps:
MAGNUM™ Lubricated Condoms
Larger than standard latex condoms for extra comfort
Tapered at the base for a secure fit
Silky smooth lubricant for comfort and sensitivity
Special reservoir end for extra safety
In silhouette:
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Now from the Date Report site, “Why Are So Many Men Suddenly Buying Magnum Condoms?” by Regina Bresler on 3/26/13:
Given the heavy social pressure to be well-endowed, not to mention the status and ego-boost that come with it, what man wouldn’t want to sport a condom that announces to the world that he’s bigger than the rest? Even if the condom itself really isn’t that big?
Head to head, as it were, the Magnum vs. the standard Trojan ENZ:
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Not a big difference, but the Magnum is flattering.
On penis size, see this 1/12/13 posting.
Vehicles. Various models of cars and trucks have been labeled Magnum to highlight their size and/or power: Dodge Magnum, a car; Renault Magnum, a truck; Vauxhall Magnum, a car; Chrysler LA engine line, several of which are named Magnum; Chevrolet Optra Magnum, a car.
Men and their vehicles!
Cartridges and firearms. In the world of weaponry, a magnum firearms cartridge is one larger or more powerful than the standard for a given caliber, or a firearm that uses such a cartridge: a .357 Magnum pistol.
Magnum, P.I. No doubt from the firearms usage, the title character in this show has the surame Magnum. From Wikipedia:
Magnum, P.I. is an American television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum [Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV], a private investigator living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from 1980 to 1988 in first-run broadcast on the American CBS television network.
Selleck in character:
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And displaying his body:
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