A Look into Calvin Klein’s Advertisements Essay -- Essays Papers

A Look into Calvin Klein’s Advertisements As a seductive young man looks into a camera a raspy voice, off camera, whispers, â€Å"You got a real nice look. How old are you? Are you strong? You think you could rip that shirt off? That’s a real nice body. You work out? I can tell.† No, it’s not straight out of a steamy romance novel, though it could be. This is just one example of how provocative Calvin Klein’s advertisements have been. Although the ads boosted sales for the Calvin Klein empire, it angered many parents, religious groups, and even the media over its message, its image, and its legality. There is no doubt the ads are in bad taste, but in advertising today, sex sells. Advertising is all based on the way a particular individual perceives it. Flipping through any teen magazine, you will most likely come across a Calvin Klein advertisement that portrays his models as runway teenage junkies, young anorexic girls or even children clad in revealing clothing. In 1980, a Calvin Klein ad featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields, who said that there was â€Å"nothing between her and her Calvin’s.† And who can forget the posters of Marky Mark grabbing himself in his cotton briefs, or the anorexic-looking Kate Moss that went topless in an ad. Patrick Carroll, President and General Manager of Calvin Klein Cosmetics Canada said, â€Å"All advertising, for fragrances, jeans and underwear, share a similar look that combines creative minds, beautiful faces, buffed bodies, gr...