Top 10 Best Calvin Klein Ad Campaigns

When 15-year-old Brooke Shields arrived on set for her first Calvin Klein commercial, she had no idea it would become one of the brand’s most popular, and controversial, ads. Shields appeared wearing a pair of Calvin Klein jeans, striking an iconic pose and uttering the now famous tagline. The ad spread far and wide, drawing in equal parts success and scandal. Many felt it sexualized the teenage Shields, which led to it being banned in some countries. Looking back now, Shields admits that she may have been naive, not realizing how the ad objectified her. Regardless, it catapulted Calvin Klein’s status as a brand, and to this day, the fashion designer still credits Shields for changing his life.

Well, you’ve got to give it to the Calvin Klein team. They sure know how to grab everyone’s attention. For their spring 2023 campaign, they tapped none other than actor Michael B. Jordan to strip down to almost nothing, save for a pair of underwear. To call the result steamy would be a gross understatement. Jordan stuns in the black-and-white ad, flexing his muscles with a stare so intense, it could pierce through the screen. Pause the video at any point, and you’ve got a frame worthy of a stay at The Louvre. Jordan does his best to sell the underwear, but if you’re too distracted to notice, we honestly don’t blame you.

This K-pop star broke the internet with her Calvin Klein ad, and not even all the king’s horses and all the king’s men could piece it back together. Jennie showed up and showed out for CK’s fall 2023 campaign, effortlessly serving goth rocker chic. The kohled eyes are too hot to handle, and her confidence is off the chain. Clearly, she was born to be a global star. And let’s be honest, watching her have so much fun almost convinces you that rocking those same jeans would make you just as cool. Jennie later drove the point home with the equally dazzling Spring 2024 ad. Now that’s what we call an effective campaign. Add to cart!

The internet’s favorite boyfriend is never beating the Greek god allegations, especially not after this campaign. Serving a face card unlike any we’ve ever seen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson turns this ad into a music video of his own. In case you’re just as stunned by his impressive dance moves as us, he is actually a trained dancer and gymnast! No wonder he poses with such grace and fluidity. The strategic play of light and dark leaves just enough to the imagination, and the artfully messy hair allows for some solid hairography too! If there’s anything this ad accomplished, it’s that it left us begging for more.

For their 2024 Pride collection, Calvin Klein took a nostalgic trip back to the ‘90s, with an ad radiating a sickening amount of love and joy. Set to Crystal Waters’ 1994 hit “100% Pure Love,” the campaign features openly queer actors Cara Delevingne and Jeremy Pope, who have never looked more charming. They perfectly capture the liberating spirit of Pride, while also being delightfully cheeky. By the end of the video, you won’t just want the collection, you’ll want their whole vibe, or at least a fraction of their flair. Either way, this has to be one of the most entertaining CK campaigns of all time.

Running a Super Bowl ad is, without question, the best way to get your product in front of millions. Calvin Klein knew this when they unleashed their 2013 commercial, featuring model and trainer Matthew Terry. The clip immediately went viral, with everyone either wanting to be him or be with him. The ad’s “man versus machine” theme couldn’t have found a better poster boy, as Terry seems to showcase the human body at peak performance. With techno beats so intense, you’d think it’s a new “Terminator” trailer, this campaign was visually striking enough to leave everyone buzzing, but it also sparked conversations about male body standards.

One of the biggest pop stars collaborating with a leading brand for their most coveted campaign? Of course, this was going to grab headlines. Like all (or most) things Justin Bieber, this 2015 ad was not without controversy. It left people either swooning over the singer, or speculating about possible photoshopping...down south. Despite the hullabaloo, Bieber’s team quickly squashed the rumors, insisting that his photos were, in fact, untouched. With that out of the way, netizens jumped on Calvin Klein, claiming the label missed the mark in appealing to their core clientele. Nevertheless, the Bieb’s campaign remains one of the most-watched CK videos of all time. And just a year later, he did it again.

Artists like Bangtan’s youngest don’t come around too often. Besides being the voice of the new generation, Jungkook also has quite a reputation for his effortless yet experimental style. So, it’s only fitting for him to rep the brand known for pushing boundaries in their campaigns. Embodying Calvin Klein’s ethos of keeping things bold yet minimal, progressive and provocative, this ad is smooth like butter. With his tattoo sleeve and bad boy lip piercing, Jungkook feels like K-Pop’s James Dean, both for his rebellious streak and his boundless charisma. And that’s on full display in the video. What makes it even better is he knows he has us wrapped around his finger.

Calling this campaign an internet phenomenon would be an understatement. It was a cultural reset that shot “The Bear” star Jeremy Allen White to viral fame. Once we finally managed to get our jaws off the floor, all we could muster was a collective “Yes, Chef.” Shot in downtown New York City at sunset, the golden hour hits White in all the right places as he does all the right things. With his laid-back athleticism, he climbs up a ladder, casually locks eyes with the camera, and stretches like he’s reaching for the skies. Honestly, watching this, you can’t help but feel some type of way.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Kendall Jenner
The Superstar Model Feels Right at Home Under the Rain


FKA Twigs
A Celebration of Female Agency That’s Equally Empowering & Mesmerizing


Greta Lee
Because Only She Can Make Mornings Look So Fun


Jamie Dornan & Shin Min-a
A Surprising Crossover We Didn’t Know We Needed


Christy Turlington
She’s a Trendsetter Like No Other

As rapper Baby Tate famously said, you can’t outdo the doer. When Marky Mark became the star of Calvin Klein’s underwear campaign in 1992, something shifted in the industry. To this day, his charm remains unbeatable. That is, if we forget about the cringeworthy script, and the fact that his co-star, a then teenage Kate Moss, looked deeply uncomfortable. Zooming in on Wahlberg alone, this ad shot him to fame overnight and kicked off an acting career that has since earned him Oscar and Emmy nods. In essence, just a few seconds of him being a braggadocious playboy brought us one of the finest actors we have today. That’s a win for Hollywood right there!

Who do you want to see as the next face of Calvin Klein? Tell us in the comments!