The Da Vinci Code movie is upon us, and (in Manhattan, at least) everywhere you go there's DVC hype.  "JoinTheQuest" placards on the subway.  DVC specials on cable TV.  Tom Hanks explaining his new hair line to reporters everywhere.  And of course, evangelists of all stripes seizing the occasion as a "teachable moment."

Is there no refuge for those weary of the hype?

Well, no.  Case in point:  the hidden history of the "Armani Black Code," a high-end fragrance for men.  Recently Armani hailed a new addition to the line--the "Armani Code" for women, with a marketing campaign built around such memes as secrets, symbols and solving the "code of seduction."  But look carefully, believers--the name of the men's line has not so mysteriously undergone a subtle change that now renders it gender-ambiguous.

Top: an ad for Armani Code for women on the back cover of the May 2006 Vogue.

Bottom:  a symbological (!) unveiling of what is now "Armani Code" for men