Controversial Advertising
Calvin Klein: A Case Study
Calvin Klein: A Case Study
Article Summary
This article talks about how models are beginning to be sexualized at a young age in advertising. There has been an increasing amount of models being hired at a young age. This trend focuses on the youth and how they pose beauty and fashion. Calvin Klein has entered into this kind of advertising and controversy has never been better for the company ever since. It started in 1980, when a 15-year-old girl, Brooke Shield purred the words “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins.” Then in 1995, a campaign for Calvin Klein Jeans had taken it too far. The advertisement had models who were young as 15, tried to mimic a “picture set” pornography of the ‘60s.
Images portrayed “Pornographic”
Images 1,2, and 3 can be easily identified as pornographic. According to the Criminal Code of Canada Definition of “Child Pornography,” any ‘sexual depiction of the sexual organ of a person under the age of eighteen is considered pornographic.’ Images 1 and 2 shows a boy and a girl laying on their back with their crotches shown. In my opinion, I find this too revealing and could be a sensitive topic for all ages. Many others could feel uncomfortable with this image. Unlike images 1 and 2, image 3 shows a boy ripping his shirt off revealing his naked chest. This could show an act of sexual engagement. An “aggressive” form of behavior when having sexual intercourse depicted in films. The last 3 images show children in Calvin Klein underwear. These images could be “pornographic” but it seems there is no intention of showing any explicit things. I guess the children were getting photographed playing around with Calvin Klein branded underwear, just to promote the clothing without any intentions of pornography. These images seem harmless and many advertisements today show many young kids with underwear on, mainly for the emotional appeal.
