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Staff post about: Calvin Klein Become an Author

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If there is one thing Calvin Klein ads are known for it is pushing the boundaries of what is considered socially acceptable. Ever since 1980, when the company placed 15 year old Brooke Shields on one its ads, with the tagline “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins,” Klein has been pushing the advertising envelope. From there, he began mounting giant billboards in the middle of New York City’s Times Square that featured buff male models with nothing on but their white CK briefs, and using childlike models, such as Kate Moss, to help sell his Obsession perfume.

Whatever the campaign, Klein has managed to place his company not only at the forefront of the latest youthful trends, but also at the centre of much controversy. In 1995, Klein launched a marketing campaign for his new CK Jeans that featured teenage models – some as young as 15 – in provocative poses with much nudity. Many critics questioned whether the ads were indeed fashion or pornography.

Not one to back down from a challenge, Klein insisted that his campaign intended to “convey the idea that glamour is an inner quality that can be found in regular people in the most ordinary setting; it is not something exclusive to movie stars and models.” However, the American Family Association did not agree, beginning a letter writing campaign to retailers in which they threatened to boycott any stores that carried Klein’s jeans.

The controversy surrounding the Calvin Klein ads was so loud that the U.S. Justice Department eventually intervened to carry out an investigation and determine whether or not Klein was in violation of national child pornography laws. In the end, Klein halted his marketing campaign. But, the publicity surrounding the ads was still enough to make the sales of the jeans soar.

In 1999, he again came under the spotlight for his latest marketing campaign of his line of children’s underwear. In this case, three pictures of little boys and girls playing on a sofa wearing nothing by CK underwear were placed in the New York Post and other popular magazines. They were also once again blown up into giant billboards in Times Square. However, this time, Klein could barely withstand the public criticism that arose overnight.

Within 24 hours of the ads being put up, the public furor was so loud that they were pulled from every media outlet and taken down from Times Square. A spokesperson for the company said the ads meant “to capture the same warmth and spontaneity that you find in a family snapshot.” However, there were few who agreed with that sentiment.

Calvin Klein ads are often hit or miss. Some people love them and some people hate them, but everybody agrees on one thing: Klein is not afraid to test the limits of what people are willing to see. And, even where he seems to go too far, his company has been all the better for it. After all, like they say, any publicity is good publicity.

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