Jeremy Allen White Calvin Klein
https://www.youtube.com/embed/zHlqK2LzkFk
Messaging: Calvin Klein makes you cool. You can do anything (even climb on rooftops). It alludes to the idea/visceral (embodied) feeling (and ideas of self-image) of being powerful, happy, cool, strong, sexy. Question: who do you think the audience (prospective consumer) is for this ad? It could be the consumer of the product i.e. men who wear men's briefs or perhaps their partner i.e. someone who would like their partner to have/get the attributes, which the ad associates with Jeremy Allen White (and which are conferred to White through his celebrity persona) i.e. his 'sign-value'. And so, the value, which the Calvin Klein ad seeks to communicate (to its prospective consumers) is consequent upon a set of cultural associations, which the ad's audience are aware/knowledgeable of and which have significance/meaning for them - making them desirable. More: To add (Eve T): The use of an attractive celebrity will appeal to women. This is because whilst the advert is selling boxers to men, it is likely that the buyer of the product is likely to be a mum, girlfriend etc and therefore this actor may appeal more to them. Simon: good observation - I think you're right, the ad likely targets mens' partners (who are compelled/drawn-in by the prospect of dressing their boyfriends). Simon: the ad https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30796588/ somewhat objectifies its protagonist through showing him strip for the clip's unseen but assumed audience. In this sense, the act of watching the ad/him is voyeuristic (scopophilia ?) - in that, the audience has power, which the protagonist doesn't (we can watch him but he can't watch/see us). Interestingly, the ad somewhat flips the expectation that only women can objectified (as per the feminist theory of 'the male gaze'). In this sense, the ad is about pure visual spectacle - the pleasure of watching masculine beauty - or at least, a particular version of it. Here is a hijacked Calvin Klein ad from a few years ago (where the source ad seems much more overt in its alignment of the brand with masculinity/sexuality) http://newpractices.co.uk/detournement/?rerouter=Sam_Bampton Quote: this might possibly be useful here e.g. "By adopting a Foucauldian perspective on the body and subjectivity in contemporary consumer culture, as well as considering the possibility of a ‘gay gaze’ in visual culture, this thesis suggests that the continued sexualisation of the male body in mass media has eroded the categorical boundaries separating heterosexual and homosexual men" (Lee, K.-Y., 2020). Observation: The ad stars Jeremy Allen White https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2087739/ who was presumably, cast because of his celebrity status (?) - if so, perhaps the approach here might fall within the category of 'celebrity branding' - similar to the 'Rolex with Roger Federer' ad: http://newpractices.co.uk/messaging/#BdFxWVezwEY (where the brand is ascribed attributes of the celebrity through their association). The ad's soundtrack uses the following: Lesley Gore (1963). "You Don't Own Me" i.e. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Don%27t_Own_Me (presumably, because of the tone of the song + its lyrics). More: To add to this (Eve T): The use of the song may be an intertextual reference to the film Fifty Shades Of Grey (2015), as this song is commonly associated with this film.(after looking into this further I have realised that the song does not feature in the film, but is associated with the film). In addition, it can add to the point of 'sex sells' due to the commonly known raunchy film. It is a common misconception that this is used in the film however after further research I have realised it isn't. Simon: I wasn't actually aware of this reference (I never really got around to seeing the film) however, this seems like a really plausible explanation i.e. that it was an intentional move by the ad-maker to reference the film - which in doing so, is about 'framing' (as per Erving Goffman's theory) the ad in reference to the film i.e. you could argue that in this way, the ad 'frames' the Calvin Klein briefs/boxers in terms of the Fifty Shades Of Grey (2015) film (alluding to/setting up expectations) about the briefs. And doing so, metaphorically transfers properties from the film to the briefs - implying (to the prospective purchasers for the briefs) that the wearer will be similarly sexy (becoming the protagonist in their own 'Fifty Shades Of Grey'). If you were to argue this then you'd ideally point to specific features within the two texts (using the shared soundtrack as your initial justification for the comparison). And, ideally looking out for visual references, which you could include in your essay as side-by-side comparisons - inserted into your essay as 'figures'. Note: There appears to be a longer version of this ad here (which can be downloaded by control/right-clicking the embedded clip) https://adage.com/video/jeremy-allen-white-in-calvin-klein-underwear-spring-2024-campaign-2/ Bibliography: Lee, K.-Y. (2020). "Homoeroticism in contemporary fashion advertising". In aaltodoc.aalto.fi. https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/items/2f90fad2-a726-4efc-9b1e-d7f5350a15e6
