I don’t remember the exact moment I decided that I love advertising. I do, however, think it had something to do with the following ad, which probably appeared in a 2007 issue of Vogue.

Stuffed between (yet strategically placed, I’m sure) hundreds of other ads for high-end designers boasting their latest and greatest, something about this one made me stop, tear it out, and pin it on my wall. OK, so maybe I was hungry and it just so happened that this guy’s dinner has a striking resemblance to Rochester’s infamous garbage plate. But maybe the ad is appealing for another reason. Is it because I feel as if I’m getting a sneak peek into someone else’s life? Who is this guy? What city is he in? What’s with this messy food? What time of day is it? Where is/are his date(s)? And, most importantly, what does he have to do with Marc Jacobs?

So either there’s a whole psychology behind this ad, or Juergen Teller (Marc Jacobs’ photographer) is a little out there. Either way—I think it’s great. Here are a couple more from the past 10 years:

Maybe it’s the greasy fries, or the grungy beard paired with the sweatband, or the hairy legs in the pool, but there’s something about Teller’s photos and the authenticity of the people that really brings these ads to life. It’s not every day that you come across a pack of stick-thin 6-foot models walking down 5th Avenue draped in Versace. But Teller’s photos make this brand so everyday—so real. They create an unforgettable experience for the readers, without even bringing them to the store. So unforgettable that, even if they can’t afford the clothes, maybe they’ll write a nice blog about the brand.