Calvin Klein Advertisement, Essay Example

Calvin Klein is a renowned fashion company that originated in the United States by a designer named Calvin Klein and sells luxurious clothing as well as clothing, jewelry and lingerie that appeals to a younger crowd. The classy and chic style of the clothing combined with a cogent advertising strategy that entices consumers to purchase various Calvin Klein products and maintains a solid clientele. The persuasive nature of the advertisements propels consumers who may not be able to afford the products to purchase them anyway. Through semiotics and discursive framing, Calvin Klein advertisements are saturated with latent meanings and cultural symbols that consumers are often blind to. Through various signs and symbols, Calvin Klein advertisements convey several messages that appeals to consumers’ sartorial tastes in addition to appealing to salient notions about contemporary culture. The Calvin Klein advertisement analyzed in this essay reveals a plethora of cultural meanings regarding the gender status quo and how imbuing a sexual element into advertisements convinces the youth culture to purchase Calvin Klein products. Calvin Klein discursively frames gender in a way that is appealing to a general audience in which patriarchal notions reign supreme. Indeed, a perceived social reality is mediated through various concepts.

In this particular advertisement, there is a denotative meaning that the male models are sexually drawn to the female model depicted as the image captured appears as if they are about to engage in sexual activities. In addition, the connotative meaning indicates that the female model is an alluring and irresistible siren since a handful of male models are all surrounding her. There is a group of men who are half naked near the scantily dressed female model, so the men in this advertisement constitute the signifier. Seduction and lust is unequivocally present, as the  female model is situated at the center of the advertisement and lays her head on one of the male models as another male model is in between her thighs. The objective of this advertisement is to sell the denim jeans that all of the half naked models are wearing. Interestingly, the models do not make eye contact with one another, which suggests that the models are all carefree spirits who enjoy the sexual conduct that is imminent. Both of the male models gaze at her seductively, although the setting of the advertisement is difficult to discern.

This advertisement is saturated with notions about gender constructs, which is underscored by the dark colors used in the advertisement to emphasize the muscularity of the male models. As such, the ideal male is portrayed as someone who is physically fit and muscular and dons Calvin Klein jeans. In addition, femininity is also dealt with in this advertisement, as the female model is sexually desirable because she is skinny, has blonde hair, flawless skin, and wears Calvin Klein jeans just like her male counterparts. It is interesting that the female model is situated at the center of the model surrounded by the male models and conveys a very liberated and carefree nature. As such, despite her centrality, she is seemingly submissive as she is not worried about what the men are about to do to her, most likely in a sexual manner since she appears so irresistible to her male counterparts. She seemingly is acquiescent with regards to fulfilling the sexual needs of these men who have flocked around her while also fulfilling her own sexual needs. While her power over the men is sexual in nature, there is an overt element of hegemony within the advertisement as the men seemingly trap her. Her inability to remove herself from this situation intimates that she cannot escape the situation that has fomented. As such, this advertisement suggests that women should purchase jeans made by Calvin Klein in order to be perceived as sexually desirable.

The manner in which a consumer assesses an advertisement is predicated on the paradigmatic structure of the advertisement itself in addition to contemporary exigencies. Spatiality also figures prominently in how such an advertisement should be read and understood. This particular advertisement appeals to the cultural preoccupation with sex and sexuality in order to sell products. Moreover, gender constructs are reified within the advertisement, thereby revealing how cultural norms manifest in advertising strategies.

Works Cited

Thibault, Paul. Social Semiotics as Praxis. Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press, 1991. Print.