DESIGN RESEARCH

CALVIN KLEIN

Khushi Jain
UGADFD(2019-23)
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I have taken efforts in this project. However, it would not have
been possible without the kind support and help of many
individuals. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of
them .
But firstly I would like to thank my faculty MS.KALI
RAWAT for helping me improve my skills and clearing by
doubts.
My thanks and appreciations also go to my colleagues in
developing the project and to people who have willingly helped
me out with their abilities.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. MARKETING MIX

3. BRAND COMPETITORS

4. BRAND PHILOSOPHY

5. STP

6. SWOT ANALYSIS

7. COLLABORATIONS

8. ADVERTISING STRATEGY

9. ARTICLE ON CK ADVERTISING

10. GAP ANALYSIS

11. PRIMARY RESEARCH

12. PICTURE BOARDS

13. MINDMAP

14. RESEARCH-MAP

15. MOOD BOARD

16. CONCEPT NOTE

17. KEY FABRICS

18. TREND ANALYSIS

19. CLIENT BOARD

2 0 .D E S I G N B R I E F
 A MINIMALIST CANVAS FOR CREATIVE EXPLORATION.

Calvin Klein is a fashion lifestyle brand with

bold, progressive ideals and a sensual aesthetic
that is recognized worldwide. Our modern and
minimalist approach to design, provocative imagery
and authentic connection to culture has resonated
across generations for over 50 years. Founded in
New York in 1968, the brand elevates everyday
essentials to globally iconic status. $6.2B
With 50 years of iconic history, the Calvin Klein in 2020 global
brands - CK Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein, Calvin
Klein Jeans, Calvin Klein Underwear and Calvin
Klein Performance - have global recognition as
retail sales
iconic household names. Calvin Klein continues to
amplify its positioning within society through
culturally relevant marketing campaigns,
partnerships with key opinion leaders and capsule
collections. Each of the Calvin Klein brands has a
distinct marketing identity and position,
providing us the opportunity to market
domestically and internationally a range of
products in discrete apparel categories that
appeal to the varying needs and lifestyles of the
Calvin Klein consumer. The Calvin Klein brands
also are licensed for a range of lifestyle
products, including fragrance, women's apparel,
footwear, eyewear, children’s clothing, watches
and jewelry, as well as in certain geographic
regions. PVH acquired Calvin Klein in 2003 and has
overseen a focused approach to growing the brand's
presence worldwide, as well as its prestige,
recognition and relevance. Global retail sales of
products sold under the Calvin Klein brands were
approximately $6.2 billion in 2020.
 MARKETING MIX
Product
First products that were launched by brand Calvin
Klein was a line of understated coats and youthful
dresses and by the year 1971 its kitty included
lingerie, classic blazers, skirts, shirts, pants
and sportswear for women. Classic fabrics, earthy
tones and simple yet elegant designs gave his work
an understated elegance which became highly
popular. Later sunglasses, furs, belts, shoes and
scarves were added to the collection. During the
late 1970s, Calvin Klein relaunched his collection
of jeans and gave it a more firm shape which
became a rage amongst its customers. Later this
jeans-inspired assortment included jackets, skirts
and shirts. Products in its men’s collection
included overcoats, suits and neckties that were
stylish, comfortable and simple.
These products created a huge frenzy in a market
for Calvin Klein products and placed the brand at
its top. In the year 1978, the brand introduced a
make-up collection that included 18 products
related to skin care and beauty. A new line of
fragrance was also launched to complement its
beauty products. During the 1980s, a company
launched underwear collection for men and boxer
shorts for females. In the year 1991, it
introduced a new collection of silk-scarf and in
the year 1995, a collection of tableware, sheets
and towels were launched. In the year 2013, PVH
acquired Warnaco Group and this helped in uniting
its sportswear jeans, underwear and formal line
under a single group.
Place
In the year 1989, brand Calvin Klein opened its
first store in Dallas Suburb. It was a free-
standing full-line store with products like
fragrances, cosmetics, accessories, outerwear,
shoes, hosiery, sleepwear and underwear for both
male and females. In the year 1995, the brand
opened a 22,000-square-foot store of four levels
at Madison Avenue. By this time its number of
stores in the United States were six through which
it was dealing successfully with its customers.
During 1993 and 1994, the company made a deal with
four companies of Japanese origins for creating
in-store shops. By now brand was selling its
products through an estimated 12,000 outlets in
the United States and its products were also being
sold in countries like Japan, New Zealand,
Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom and Canada.
Calvin Klein has adopted an efficient distribution
policy that involves both direct and indirect
sales for maintaining high sales. Its products are
easily available at both online and direct-dealing
stores. It has departmental stores, direct
distributors and specialised outlets at its
disposal in nearly 21 countries. Efficient and
capable workers are employed to provide relevant
information and to help customers in finding the
exact product that they are looking for.
 MARKETING MIX
Price
Brand Calvin Klein has opted for competitive
pricing policies that are changeable to suit the
needs and requirements of a particular product
line or place. In 1977 it was able to generate
huge revenues because of its penetration pricing
policy as it wanted to keep its prices lower than
its major competitors. Its strategy was successful
and its products became highly popular among both
older and younger generation and also among middle
and wealthy class of people. Competitive pricing
has helped the brand in maintaining the loyalty of
its customers through high sales.
Calvin Klein is a premium brand with reasonable
pricing policy as it believes in the concept of
large volumes and hence larger turnover. It has
also used a skimming technique to promote its
premium products. The strategy involves entering a
market with premium prices and slowly decreasing
them through numerous offers to attract and
maintain its customer base. It has also taken help
of Discount pricing and has thus allowed discounts
and other bargains to create further sales.
promotion
Calvin Klein has always believed in the positive
impact of promotional strategies and has
undertaken various measures to promote its
business. Controversial advertisements have also
helped in high visibility in markets and have
resulted in huge turnovers. In the late 1970s, a
billboard at Times Square was put up showing Patti
Hansen, a model, on her knees and hands with her
derriere skyward and brand label visible on right
hip. This caused a sensation. One of the most
controversial ads of Calvin Klein jeans were of
15-year old Brooke Shields posing in skin-tight
pair with provocative comments. Although the
posters were later taken down but by that time
they had done their part in making the brand a
high-profile one.
In the 1990s, brands underwear line was promoted
with help of giant billboards that showed images
of Mark Wahlberg, famous pop singer. This was a
highly successful ad campaign and the underwears
were subsequently called as Calvin’s. Television,
print media and social media have played a huge
part in the success of brand Calvin Klein. The
company has its own monogram with a cK emblem that
is visible on all its products. Its slogan is
Between Love and Madness lie Obsession. In order
to create consumer awareness advertising campaigns
are displayed in fashion magazines like Glamour,
Harpers Bazaar, Elle and Vogue.

Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren is an American fashion and retail industry
that was formed during the year 1967 and is headquartered
in New York, United States. The company produces mid-range
products to luxury fashion products. This brand is known
for various products like luxury clothing, footwear,
fragrances, housewares, furniture, and jewelry.
Their products are sold in multiple brands like Polo Ralph
Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, and many more.
They have products for men and women of all age groups.
Ralph Lauren produces unique and comfortable designs to
make them visible in the fashion industry.
BRAND COMPETITORS
Armani
Also a top Calvin Klein competitor, Armani is an
Italian luxury fashion industry that was founded by
Giorgio Armani. It was established during the year
1975 and is headquartered in Milan, Italy. The
company designs, produces, distributes, and retails
various products and also focuses on offering
quality and classy global apparel.
This brand is considered a top brand in the fashion
industry and is a sign of status. Armani is famous
for their hand stitched designs in clothing. The
company has good quality designers who design Armani
products with great care to produce unique and
quality designs.
Chanel
Yet another Calvin Klein competitor, Chanel is a
private fashion company that was formed during the
year 1909 and is headquartered in London, United
Kingdom. Chanel is a high fashion house that
specializes only in women’s ready-to-wear clothes,
fashion accessories, haute couture, and luxury goods.
It is a well-established brand and everyone is aware
of its existence.
Currently, it has a brand value of about $7.2 billion
and is ranked 80th in the world’s most valuable
brand. This brand is famous for its functional and
comfortable styles that have a perfect style. Their
major part of the collection is classic and timeless
design. The company is famous for its luxury brand
across the world and their signature perfume.

Versace
A popular Italian fashion company, Versace was established
in the year 1978 and is headquartered in Milan, Italy. The
company designs products and sells many lifestyles and
fashion products like apparel, eyewear, home furnishings,
watches, and many more. The company mainly focuses on
ready-to-wear apparel and fashionable accessories.
Versace distributes their products at the global level. It
has maintained 200 boutiques to sell their products along
with 1500 high-class department stores. It also provides
online support for the customers to purchase products and
to customize their designs. Versace has products for all
ages and gender and across multiple segments.
BRAND COMPETITORS
Gucci
Also a top Calvin Klein competitor, Gucci is an
Italian fashion industry that was established during
the year 1921. Gucci is headquartered in Florence,
Italy. Gucci focuses on fashion and leather goods by
having its business operations in about 278 stores
across the globe.
Gucci sells their products through many channels
like franchise stores, higher-end department stores,
and online. It is a multi-branded organization that
has great visibility in the international market.
Gucci has always been updated in the fashion world
and every care is taken by their designers to always
meet the current fashion trend of the market. The
company has a strong value chain with many suppliers
and retailers and has a good visibility among
people.
Tommy Hilfiger
A top American fashion industry, Tommy Hilfiger is
headquartered in New York, United States and was
formed in 1985. Tommy Hilfiger designs and produces
multiple products like apparel, footwear,
accessories, fragrances, and home furnishings.
Their products are available in multiple channels
like department stores and about 1400 freestanding
retail stores across 90 countries. The company
productsoutfitpeople of all age groups for men,
women, and kids. Tommy Hilfiger designs are aligned
with the American nature in various categories like
sportswear, denim, home furnishings, watches, and
fragrances. The designers produce products that are
creative, modern and casual.
 BRAND PHILOSOPHY

CALVIN KLEIN
VISION STATEMENT

Becomes one of the first choice of Consumers,

CALVIN KLEIN Revenues would total $2.47-2.5bn for the year,
up 3-4%, with Calvin Klein royalty revenues
MISSION STATEMENT poised to rise 5-7%. Increase national market
share to 45%

We believe in a culture that provokes discovery

and brave thinking. We strive to make a positive
impact on the world. We inspire passion in our
people. We embody authenticity and embrace
individuality.

CALVIN KLEIN
VALUES
Individuality
Partnership
Passion
Integrity
Accountability
 Target Group
Urban upper class
youth and business
Segment executives Positioning
Customers looking for high Rich and quality
end best products, fashion product for the rich
conscious

DEMOGRAPHICS-
Customers of Calvin Klein mostly consist of the younger generation in particular men and women between the age of 15-
40.

PSYCHOGRAPHICS-
comfort & luxury, interested in new trends, fashion and lifestyle.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION-
metropolitan cities

TARGET-
Individuals with high relatively high disposable income and the ones more conscious about the fashion and trends
constitute the major chunk of customers for the brand.
 SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths
Presence in multiple domains of fashion: The main products of
Calvin Klein are ready to wear fashionable clothes for men and
women. In addition to this, they also have perfumes and
accessories such as watches, eyewear, shoes, and jewelry for
both men and women. The designer brand also has their
exclusive line of home furnishings and furniture.
Operational efficiency: The operational efficiency of the
business comes from the manner in which they have segregated
their businesses. The business interests of Calvin Klein are
broadly classified into two – Calvin Klein Apparel which is
responsible for the sales of its product line in both men and
women’s wear and Calvin Klein Licensing which looks after the
licensing agreements with third parties. The company gets
almost 60 % of its earnings from Calvin Klein Apparel which
also has under it the 115 retail stores that the brand owns.
Calvin Klein has around 50 licenses for the three brands under
it.
Global Presence: Calvin Klein is a popular brand and it is
sold in many countries around the world. Their primary market,
however, is the USA which accounts for around 58 % of its
total sales. The other leading markets in terms of market
share are Europe and the Asia Pacific. Recently the brand also
opened a series of stores across the Middle East.
Astute Marketing: One reason for the astounding popularity of
the brand Calvin Klein is its marketing strategy especially
with regard to their advertisements. The brand has always used
subliminal advertising which is sexually explicit to draw
attention to their products. Through shocking advertisements,
the brand has always stayed in the minds of their target
segment and often been successful in building a bold image for
the brand.
Skille workmanship: Calvin Klein has always been associated
with the best of designers and this makes their designs unique
and trendy. This has been one of their core differentiators
from competition and has also made them the preferred clothing
choice of a number of celebrities.
Weaknesses
Synergy: Licensing constitutes a critical part of Calvin
Kleins business model and the company finds it immensely
challenging as well as expensive to coordinate amongst their
licensees who are spread across all parts of the world.
Image management: Calvin Klein has always been popular as an
out of the box brand with quirky styles and creative designs.
In an age of competition where in addition to global designer
brands there are also a number of prominent local designers
who are making a mark, the company is struggling to maintain
its creative image in the market.
Ethics: Calvin Klein has always been a controversial brand
regarding its advertisements which are often criticised for
its overt sexuality. In addition to it, the brand has also
been questioned for copying other designers as well as for
licensing issues.
Opportunities
The market for kids: As the urban population has more money to
spend many designer brands are moving into designer clothes
and other merchandise for kids. This can be a market that can
offer a lot of scope for a popular designer brand like Calvin
Klein.
Threats
Competition The main competitors of Calvin Klein are Gucci,
Dolce &Gabbana, and Tommy Hilfiger etc.
 RECENT COLLABORATION

CALVIN KLEIN TAPS HERON PRESTON FOR

CREATIVE COLLABORATION

Iconic PVH-owned fashion brand Calvin Klein has brought San Francisco-born artist
and designer Heron Preston on board as creative consultant for a collaborative
collection set to launch in spring 2021.
Entitled Heron Preston for Calvin Klein, the upcoming collection will offer
gender-neutral, sustainably sourced apparel, including denim, t-shirts,
sweatshirts, hoodies and underwear. Prices for the pieces will range from $36 to
$298.

In a post published on Preston’s Instagram account on Tuesday, the designer

revealed that he has been working secretly with Calvin Klein for a year.

“We have this idea of working with different visionary and creative people to help
tell a Calvin Klein story through the lens of their perspective on, or experience
with, the brand,” explained Jacob Jordan, Calvin Klein’s global chief merchant,
head of product strategy and new product ventures, to WWD.

“I see this project as the first step; it’s a reawakening for the brand, moving us
closer in our connection to culture and creativity. It is about forming
interconnected partnerships who can help us tell our story in a way that maybe we
couldn’t on our own,” he added.

Launched via Off-White’s Italian parent company New Guards Group, Preston’s
namesake brand made its Paris Fashion Week debut in 2017. New Guards Group has
since been acquired by London-based Farfetch.

Preston has worked with a wide range of collaborators in the past, from Kanye West
and Virgil Abloh to Levi’s, Gap, Nike and even the NYC Department of Sanitation.
 KITH X CALVIN KLEIN UNDERWEAR COLLECTION
Modeled by Gigi Hadid.

Just days after Ronnie Fieg teased KITH’s collaboration with Calvin Klein, the two
brands unveiled their full range of co-branded thongs and bras. A stark campaign
starring Gigi Hadid channels vintage Calvin Klein underwear ads and showcases the
model in a range of sporty styles.

Racerback sports bras, printed with a repeating KITH box logo, are trimmed in co-
branded elastic and arrive in black, white, grey, beige and rose colorways. Mesh
iterations of the casual style are emblazoned with KITH and Calvin Klein logos on the
front and back, respectively. Thongs take a similar approach with logo elastic
waistbands and Calvin Klein’s classic “CK”-branded tag at the back. Men’s boxer
shorts, pictured on Hadid, are available in KITH’s repeating box logo print as well
as solid blue, green and red.
 ADVERTISING STRATEGY - A SYMBOL OF SEXINESS
The core elements of Calvin Klein advertising strategy can be listed below:

It is not afraid of making provocative campaigns

In 1980, Calvin Klein shocked TV audiences by showing a series of ads that featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields - who seductively told the viewers that nothing came between her and her Calvins.
This sparked major controversy at the time, making the brand one of the most talked brands in the year. But, Calvin Klein didn’t stop there. It embraces its controversial reputation and keeps
releasing more provocative ads.

The brand has constantly released ads featuring sexy movie stars or supermodels wearing underwear only. One of the most famous campaigns involved Kate Moss in the 90s and being almost naked. Her co-
star was Mark Wahlberg, who grabbed his junk and said his Calvins underwear kept him snug. Kate Moss appeared once again, promoting Obsession perfume, this time being naked.

In 2009, Eva Mendes stepped in to promote the fragrance line of Secret Obsession, while being naked in bed. Not surprisingly, the ad was banned. In 2015, Justin Bieber modeled in the #mycalvins
campaign. This caused a lot of controversies because some people think that his image has been overly Photoshop-driven.

By living with the controversial reputation, Calvin Klein is able to create buzz on the press and social media, as well as among target customers
 It uses controversy as a tool to promote the brand’s personality
In 2016, Calvin Klein released photos of a sexually explicit ad for its #MyCalvins campaign. The one which attracted a lot of attention was with actress Klara Kristin revealing her upskirt.

The campaign caused online outrage and created countless negative comments. Thousands of people went on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to leave bad comments about the company. To add more fuel
to the fire, news outlets such as Breitbart, Fox News and The Blaze all criticized the brand.

In response, Calvin Klein declined to comment and kept the campaign photos online. It continued to become a popular topic on social media and the press, while the brand successfully received the
attention it needed. The reaction also showed the brand’s personality of being unafraid, which is very relatable for young audiences. How many brands that can be so bold under negative comments?

It uses social media influencers and celebrities

In 2014, the notorious #mycalvins campaign exploited social media influencers and social media celebrities to promote the Calvin Klein collection. The brand sent products to fashion well-known
names like Fergie, Aimee Song, Emily Weiss and many others. Each of the influencers posted photos of themselves wearing Calvin Klein underwear in homes and hotel rooms.

Shortly thereafter, thousands of people followed and uploaded their own photos with the hashtag #MyCalvins. As a result, the campaign earned 4.5 million interactions on social media. Thanks to
this, Calvin Klein gained an enormous amount of exposure among young audiences, the main users of social media at the time.
How Calvin Klein’s Digital Marketing Campaigns
Attract A New Consumer Market
Ally Feinsot
Journalism
Elon University
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in
an undergraduate senior capstone course in communications

Abstract
The rise of social media in the last decade has led brands to establish a strong digital presence to attract a
growing, highly influential audience – Millennials. This research studied three digital marketing campaigns by
Calvin Klein, an American fashion company, and the tactics used to attract a sub-set group of Millennials, those
between the ages of 18 and 25. The research concluded that Calvin Klein succeeded in appealing to young
Millennials through underlying themes found in each campaign (self-expression, sexuality, digital generation/
social media, and pop culture) as well as consumer engagement techniques employed on the brand’s social
media platforms.
I. Introduction
The rise of social media in the last decade has led brands to establish a digital presence to attract a
growing, highly influential audience—Millennials. By the year 2030, nearly 80 million Millennials in the United
States will control the retail market, and much of their decision-making about spending habits will directly
come
from their social media usage. Millennials are the most active generation on social media, interacting with
brands
on a daily basis; a poll conducted by the Boston Consulting Group found that 52% of Millennials “like” a brand
on a social network, and 39% post product reviews on their social channels (Barton, Koslow, & Beauchamp,
2014). It is imperative today for brands to monitor and actively engage with Millennials via social media, as
their
opinions could make or break the reputation of a brand with just one negative post on their social networks.
Calvin Klein, an $8.4 billion global company, has been marketing to audiences with simplistic, often
provocative marketing campaigns for the last 50 years. Its most famous campaign was released in 1980;
only thirty seconds long, it featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields, who flirtatiously looked into the camera
and asked, “You wanna know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” Since that controversial
campaign, Calvin Klein has not only continued to shock audiences, but also has maintained a strong following
that has seen the brand enter the digital age gracefully. As the global brand seeks to increase its sales in
the next few years, it also plans to “increase its engagement with youth-minded consumers. . .[to] create an
opportunity to build loyalty over the long-term” (“Calvin Klein,” n.d.). Millennials are the future of the
Calvin
Klein empire, and through engagement with this audience via digital marketing, the brand will continue to stay
relevant as a top lifestyle company. — Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, Vol. 9, No. 1 • Spring 2018
This research paper examined how Calvin Klein has used social media to attract the Millennial
market. It conducted a content analysis of three recent Calvin Klein digital marketing campaigns, focusing on
the imagery and messaging of the campaigns and analyzing its attempts to generate Millennial buzz.

II. Literature Review

To gain a better understanding of the research topic, the author examined literature on digital
marketing, the importance of consumer engagement and Millennials, and Millennials’ interaction with brands
on social media.
Who are the Millennials?
The Millennial Generation, also referred to as Generation Y, is defined in many ways, but this study
defines the generation as individuals between the ages of 18 and 34 (Fry, 2016). According to the U.S.
Census Bureau, 83.1 million Millennials currently reside in the United States (“Millennials Outnumber Baby
Boomers,” 2015). This study focused on a sub-set of Millennials—those between the ages of 18 and 25.
What is Digital Marketing?
To attract certain customers in the greater Millennial market, brands are increasing their digital
marketing presence. According to the Journal of Strategic Marketing, digital marketing is “the practice of
promoting products and services using digital distribution channels” and includes “digital or online advertising,
which delivers marketing messages to customers” (Smith, 2011, p. 489)
Millennial-Brand Interaction on Social Media
In today’s competitive digital retail market, brands face a crucial need to have an online presence.
Millennials are on social media for hours a day, exposed to countless products and companies that—with
an effective digital marketing team—could sway this demographic to purchase their products right on their
iPhones and smartphones. Millennials, more than any other generation, are spending more money on social
media networks, and they are following companies’ social accounts to keep up with the latest news, products,
and campaigns (Nelson, 2015).
Social media has been particularly adopted by fashion brands, which feature celebrities and social
media influencers to endorse their products. Millennials often follow these influencers on social media to “feel
closer” to them or “imitate their behavior” as an ego booster (Ressel, 2016, p. 20). Just as Millennials can like
and comment on their friends’ accounts, they can do the same with the likes of celebrities Kendall Jenner and
Justin Bieber. Social influencers are an important tool for brands to employ on their social media platforms;
influencers will post sponsored content on their social channels, generating revenue for themselves and forthe
companies that they partner with. According to Malcolm Carfrae, former executive vice president of global
communications at Calvin Klein, influencers “help develop content on both sides of the creative process” by
creating unique content for their platform, but also “incentivizing fans to participate” by interacting with
their content on social media (Nelson, 2015, p. 16). Social media gives Millennials the opportunity to
communicate directly with brands, sending out messages or tagging a brand in their post on Instagram, for
example. Brands can track these posts, viewing consumer content and analyzing trends and data they might find
from their audience, and by pinpointing any concerns that consumers express. Through interaction with brands on
social media, Millennials are changing the way that brands communicate with their audiences. Millennials have the
power to influence their social media followers with the content that they post about brands—whether positive or
negative. Brands know that their consumers could potentially make or break their reputation; with the possibility
of a negative product review going viral, companies must constantly track their hashtags and tagged posts to
ensure that the image that they have crafted for themselves is being positively maintained.
— Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, Vol. 9, No. 1 • Spring 2018
III. Methods
This study conducted a content analysis of three major digital campaigns by Calvin Klein between 2014
and 2016. Content analysis is defined by the Pew Research Center as “a tool that allows us to look at the way
messages change over time and vary across mediums and outlets” (“Content Analysis,” 2017). In conducting
content analysis, formulating a research question or goal is the first step in the process. Then, a researcher
needs
to select an appropriate sample and systematically code it for its important traits (“Content Analysis,” 2017).
To answer the research questions, the study analyzed three digital campaigns by Calvin Klein:
CK One, released in 2014; ck2, released in 2015; and #MyCalvins, released in 2015. The campaigns
were examined for their written text, imagery, and consumer engagement tools used to attract a Millennial
audience. This study used a research method similar to the one adopted by Ashley and Tuten (2014). Their
study examined social media content by top brands through content analysis, finding that brands were
most successful on social media through frequent posting on their various platforms and creative strategies
“associated with customer engagement” (Ashley & Tuten, 2014, p. 15).
The current study used a code sheet based on the creative strategy code sheet created by Ashley
and Tuten to analyze how Calvin Klein has used social media to attract the Millennial market. Their code
sheet analyzed social media content with three categories: “message strategies,” “sales promotions” and
“user-generated content;” message strategies and user-generated content were analyzed for this study
(Ashley & Tuten, 2014, p. 20). This current study only analyzed two categories: message strategies and
usergenerated content.
Kaplan and Haenlein (2009) define user-generated content, or UGC, as “the various forms of media
content that are publicly available and created by end-users.” To be considered UGC, the media has to “be
published on a publicly accessible website or. . . social networking site; show a certain amount of creative
effort; and it needs to have been created outside of professional routines and practices” (Kaplan & Haenlein,
2009, p. 61). To answer the second research question, this study analyzed major themes seen in each Calvin
Klein digital campaign, including sexuality, self-expression, digital generation/social media, and pop culture,
and how the themes appealed to the Millennial market. The author looked for these themes within each
campaign by following these definitions:
• Sexuality: According to the World Health Organization, sexuality is defined as a combination
of “thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviors, practices, roles and
relationships. . . sexuality can include all of these dimensions, [but] not all of them are always
experienced or expressed” (“Defining sexual health,” n.d.).
• Self-Expression: According to the American Psychological Association, self-expression is
associated with “positive concepts, such as freedom, creativity, style, courage, self-assurance,
and even healing and spirituality” (Kim, 2010).
• Digital Generation/Social Media: According to a WIRED article, the digital generation is the
younger end of the Millennials, “the first generation born into a world that has never not known
digital life. . . technology has shaped not just how they navigate the world but how they see
themselves” (Adler, 2013). According to Investopedia, social media is defined as “internet-based
software and interfaces that allow individuals to interact with one another, exchanging details
about their lives such as biographical data, professional information, personal photos, and up-tothe-minute
thoughts” (“Social media,” n.d.).
• Pop Culture: According to ThoughtCo.com, popular culture is defined as “the accumulation of
cultural products such as music, art, literature, fashion, dance, film, cyber culture, television, and
radio that are consumed by the majority of a society’s population” (Crossman, 2017). — Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, Vol. 9, No. 1 • Spring 2018
IV. Findings
This section is organized based on the analysis of the three campaigns in chronological order.
CK One: 20th Anniversary Campaign
Calvin Klein released a video campaign for the 20th anniversary of its fragrance, CK One, on
YouTube on June 30, 2014, followed by a television advertisement. A print version of the campaign was also
released, featuring a selfie collage of the influencers who starred in the campaign. The video did not include
text, until the final shot, where the hashtag #ckmeforme and a Tumblr page for the campaign, ckmeforme.
tumblr.com, is shown. The video features male and female social influencers and targets the young Millennial
demographic, 18-25.

Figure 1. CK One video campaign (left) and CK One print campaign (right)
For consumer engagement, the campaign includes a hashtag, #CKmeforme, to encourage the
audience to participate and engage with the influencers of the campaign. A Tumblr page was also created,
where the influencers posted content, and the audience was able to like, comment, and repost the content.
Through the Tumblr page, fans found the CK One Snapchat account, while others found it through the
influencers’ personal social channels. On Snapchat, content disappears within 24 hours, but users were able
to view posts from the campaign on Snapchat during that time period. On Tumblr, users could like posts from
the campaign’s Tumblr page, as well as repost them onto their own Tumblr blogs. On Twitter, users could
retweet or like tweets from the official Calvin Klein Twitter account, as well as other users’ Twitter pages.

The video incorporated narratives of self-expression, sexuality, digital generation/social media, and
pop culture. The entire video is shot from the perspective of a person taking a selfie video, which millennials
will immediately recognize and can relate to, as nearly all of their social media content is posted from their
smartphones. The campaign also sought to target Millennials by featuring young, up-and-coming musicians,
including Korean popstar Taeyang, singer Dev Hynes, singer Samantha Urbani, sister musicians Say Lou
Lou, and singer Kelela.
Calvin Klein used Tumblr as its main social media platform for this campaign. Most of the content
on the Tumblr blog was from the campaign based on submissions by the influencers, some were reposted
content from other Tumblr users, including selfies, GIFS, and short videos; and others were content that
appeared to be users’ selfies. When clicking on a specific post, the page gave the option to share the post
on Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, or by email. Content from the Tumblr blog was posted from June 2014 to
October 2014. The author analyzed month-by-month content, focusing on narratives, branded content versus
UGC, and number of impressions. Figure 2. Korean pop star Taeyang
invites his Twitter followers to check
out the #ckmeforme Tumblr page

— Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, Vol. 9, No. 1 • Spring 2018

ck2 Campaign
Calvin Klein released a video campaign for its fragrance ck2 on YouTube in November 2015, followed
by a print campaign with the same models shown in the video. No text is featured in the video campaign, until
the last shot when the ck2 and Calvin Klein logos appear on screen, followed by the hashtag #the2ofus. The
video features a variety of colors, including a bright scene of a couple outside looking at the ocean, and a
deep reddish tinted scene of a couple outside with bonfires in the background.
For consumer engagement, the hashtag #the2ofus appears at the end of the video campaign to encourage content
sharing. There is no clear indication of a particular social media platform for audiences to interact with the
hashtag. Three months after the release of the video campaign and the hashtag #the2ofus, Calvin Klein released Figure 3. ck2 video campaign (left) and ck2 print campaign (right)
an Instagram post in February 2016, featuring stars of the ck2 campaign. It invited users to “share your
together moment” at calvinklein.com/ck2 to further interact with the campaign. Users could like and comment on
influencers’ sponsored content on Instagram and could post their own with the hashtag #the2ofus. Users could
tweet with the hashtag, like, and retweet other users, as well as comment on the YouTube video campaign, like,
and reply to other users’ comments.

The video incorporated narratives of self-expression and sexuality with young male and female
models, targeting the Millennial age demographic. The fragrance specifically targets young people, as seen
in the video campaign. The fragrance itself is not exclusive to a specific gender—it is being advertised as
gender-fluid, from the simplicity of the bottle (clear and gender ambiguous) to the depiction of all genders
in the video campaign. Young Millennials are more likely to identify as gender-fluid than other generations;
according to GLAAD’s 2017 Accelerating Acceptance report, 12% of Millennials identify as transgender or
gender non-conforming (“Accelerating Acceptance,” 2017).
Calvin Klein used YouTube as its main platform to disseminate the campaign. The video campaign
released on November 25, 2015, had 2,754,802 views, 2,000 likes and 245 dislikes, and 475 comments by
YouTube users, as of February 2, 2018. Among the 475 comments, only 10 were analyzed for this study.
These 10 comments had 460 likes and 75 replies in total. They used keywords, such as “equality,” “edgy,”
“beautiful,” “diversity,” and “promoting acceptance,” and key phrases, such as ““not all of [Calvin Klein’s]
customers will be in a heterosexual relationship,” “this is 2016, some people are gay,” “more likely to buy a
product if the company features queer people,” and “people can like who they want and be who they want.”
Figure 4. ck2 Instagram post. Caption: “Between the sheets with
@lukasabbat + @vickatrillion. #the2ofus Share your together
moments with us at calvinklein.com/ck2

— Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, Vol. 9, No. 1 • Spring 2018

#MyCalvins Campaign
Calvin Klein released its most recent campaign, #MyCalvins, on Youtube on January 6, 2015. The
video starred singer Justin Bieber and model Lara Stone. Since its release, the video has garnered over
9.2 million views, 23,000 likes, and 4,000 dislikes. A print campaign with Bieber was released following
the premiere of the video. The video is shot in black and white and has no text until the end shot, where
#mycalvins appears onscreen, followed by the Calvin Klein Jeans logo and a link to calvinklein.com.

A hashtag, #MyCalvins, is incorporated into the campaign for audience engagement. The campaign
video incorporated narratives of self-expression, sexuality, and pop culture and targeted young Millennials
between the ages of 18-25, with singer Justin Bieber as the social influencer. In the video campaign
description, it also encourages the audience to participate in the campaign by showing their own #MyCalvins
look on social media. Following the release of the video campaign, Calvin Klein released a “micro-site” where
the best user-generated content was recognized by the brand.
After the initial launch of the #MyCalvins campaign with Bieber, Calvin Klein continued to build on
this campaign by partnering with models, musicians, and social influencers, using the phrase, “I ____ in
#mycalvins.” The campaign has been seen on various social platforms, but the brand used Instagram as
its main platform to broadcast the campaign. According to the Pew Research Center, 59 percent of adults
between the ages of 18 and 29 use Instagram. This statistic is significant because young Millennials are
on Instagram more so than any other social network (Greenwood, Perrin, & Duggan, 2016). Ten posts by
various influencers were analyzed, focusing on the number of likes, comments, and narratives related to the
campaign, and the phrase used for #MyCalvins
Figure 5. #MyCalvins video campaign (left) and #MyCalvins print campaign (right)

— Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, Vol. 9, No. 1 • Spring 2018

V. Discussion
This study examined three distinct Calvin Klein digital marketing campaigns: CK One, ck2, and
#MyCalvins. For each campaign, a hashtag was incorporated to encourage brand interaction on social
media: #CKmeforme (CK One), #the2ofus (ck2), and #MyCalvins. The campaign with the most social
media engagement was #MyCalvins, which is still an ongoing campaign today. According to Racked, Calvin
Klein’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter followings have increased by 2.2 million, 1.8 million, and 1 million,
respectively, since the release of the #MyCalvins campaign (Fumo, 2015). CK One’s campaign also saw
major social engagement. Within two months of the campaign’s release, Calvin Klein generated more than
one million views on Snapchat and 150,000 views on Tumblr (Mahoney, 2014).
The study found that each campaign targeted young Millennials through the narratives featured in
each campaign video. All three campaigns featured narratives of self-expression and sexuality, while CK
One also showcased narratives of digital generation/social media and pop culture, and #MyCalvins included
the narrative of pop culture. CK One’s video campaign mainly focused on the digital generation narrative,
as the entire video is shot from the perspective of taking a selfie; this theme aligns with the target audience,
dubbed as the “selfie generation” and who are considered “digital natives,” the only generation that has
yet to adapt to technology (Blow, 2014). CK2’s video campaign focused on the self-expression narrative.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, the campaign depicted the “free spirited, raw narratives of today’s youth,”
relating to the young Millennial demographic (Naughton, 2015). #MyCalvins focused on both pop culture
and self-expression, as each social media post from the campaign included a celebrity with the phrase “I __
in #MyCalvins.” For example, model Kendall Jenner posted on Instagram in February 2016: “I am strong in
#mycalvins.” Model Bella Hadid posted on Instagram in July 2016, “I intimidate in #mycalvins.”

VI. Conclusion
This study sought to examine three major Calvin Klein digital marketing campaigns and how they
attracted a subset of the Millennial generation, those between the ages of 18 and 25. The study found that
Calvin Klein adopted distinct social media platforms for each campaign to interact with users. Since the brand
was targeting younger Millennials, it chose platforms with predominantly younger users who would be more
likely to engage with each campaign. The three campaigns featured four underlying themes that attracted the
young Millennial audience: self-expression, sexuality, digital generation/social media, and pop culture.
The study found that Calvin Klein has adjusted and tailored its social channels to target the Millennial
market. After the release of the #MyCalvins campaign, which was still ongoing at the time of the study, the
brand’s online presence grew exponentially on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

— Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, Vol. 9, No. 1 • Spring 2018

 GAP ANALYSIS

Calvin Klein does not have a plus size collection in India

The brand produced a wide range of solid coloured clothing , they lack in prints.

The brand can introduce cuts and fullness to their topwear.

Calvin Klein can come up with a sleepwear collection as they do not have a proper

collection for sleepwear in India.

SELECTED GAP
Introduce a sleepwear collection for women in India
PRIMARY RESEARCH GOOGLE FORMS
CALVIN KLEIN STORES IN
KOLKATA
(QUEST MALL)
 leaves

textures

objects
lights
reflection
 lenses
MIND MAP abstract
patterns
broken
superstition
glass jewellery

brightness cultures
windows
kaleidoscope

images

flash shine mirror

thunder

blue rays sparkles

reflection

water light
A mind map is a diagram lakes artificial
used to visually organise
information. A mind map is
hierarchical and shows
relationships among pieces
of the whole.  It is often bulbs
created around a single
concept, drawn as an image
ripples thoughts bright

in the centre of a blank ice

page, to which associated eyes
views
representations of ideas
such as images, words and
parts of words are photography
added.  Major ideas are
connected directly to the
sound
MAP blurry
central concept, and other plan
ideas branch out from crystals images
those.
design
grafitti
Introduction
A map is a drawing that gives us information about a place at a particular
time. Maps are a representation of the real world drawn accurately on a
flat surface but many times smaller than the place itself. Maps are one of
the oldest forms of nonverbal communication. Every culture in every part of
the world makes and uses maps.
Map design
The design and production of maps is a craft that has developed over thousands of years, from clay
tablets to Geographic information systems. As a form of Design, particularly closely related to Graphic
design, map making incorporates scientific knowledge about how maps are used, integrated with principles
of artistic expression, to create an aesthetically attractive product, carries an aura of authority, and
functionally serves a particular purpose for an intended audience.

All the information about one place cannot be put in a single map.
Different aspects of a place can be shown in different types of maps.The
art and science of making maps is called cartography. A person who makes
maps is called a cartographer.
Designing a map involves bringing together a number of elements and making a large number of decisions.
The elements of design fall into several broad topics, each of which has its own theory, its own
research agenda, and its own best practices. That said, there are synergistic effects between these
elements, meaning that the overall design process is not just working on each element one at a time, but
an iterative feedback process of adjusting each to achieve the desired gestalt.

Different Types of Maps

There are two main types of maps - political maps and
physical maps.

Physical maps show the shape of the land - hills, lakes,

forests, the coast and so on.
Political maps show how the land is used by people -
counties, provinces, countries, town boundaries, etc.
Both types of map change over time - forests are cut down,
roads are built, towns expand and borders change.
Most maps include a compass rose which indicates the
directions of north, south, east and west. They also include
a scale which is useful for estimating distances.
 A version of Ptolemy’s world map
History produced in 1482, using the
information contained in the
Old Maps have been part of human history for thousands of years, and are Geographia.
said to date back as early as 16,500 B.C. However, The oldest known maps
are preserved on Babylonian clay tablets from about 2300 B.C.

It was not until the early 16th century that the first world maps began
to appear, Gerardus Mercator from Belgium was the leading cartographer
of the mid-16th century. He developed a mapping projection based on
mathematics, which was much more accurate than any other up until that
date. He published a map of the world in 1569 based on this projection.

Humans have long recognised the importance and value of maps to their lives.
Indeed, the history of mapping can be traced to more than 5,000 years ago. Maps
are essentially tools which:
This tablet (circa 600BC), which is
for the map maker, record the location of places of interest.
in the collection of the British
for others, are a source of learning about the geography of the mapped area.
Museum, is an excellent example of
Babylonian clay tablet maps. It
shows Babylon in the centre with the The Greeks and Romans continued to refine the art of map making,
Euphrates River, mountains and a culminating with the work of Claudius Ptolemaeus (in English
surrounding ocean. Ptolemy). Ptolemy was a geographer, mathematician and astronomer
who lived in Roman Egypt. In about 150 AD he famously published
In light of this, many other map projections were soon developed and in 1570 a scientific treatise titled Geographia (in English Geography).
the first modern atlas was published by Antwerp cartographer Abraham Ortelius. This contained thousands of references and maps of various parts
of the world – with longitude and latitude lines. This system
revolutionised European geographic thinking, by imposing
mathematical rules to the composition of maps.

The Middle Ages

In Europe during this period, there was little progress in improving
the science of mapping and geography. As most maps were produced
within monasteries, religious zeal tended to dominate mapping. One
interesting development was the adoption of the principle of having
Jerusalem in the centre of a ‘world’ map and the Orient (Asia) at
the top of the map. Also, in part as a religious statement but also
Al-Idrisi map of the world,
for artistic reasons, maps drawn in this time were also heavily
produced 1154. The original of
decorated. The decoration often included angels and imaginary
this map no longer exists, this
monsters.
replica was produced in 1456.
In the Islamic world, the study of the science of mapping and geography did progress.
All these led to a massive expansion in geographic knowledge and mapping. Earlier maps in this period
An excellent example of this is the work of Al-Idrisi, an Arab scholar in the court of
tended to be simple ‘black-and-white’ maps which showed coastlines, country borders, mountains, rivers,
King Roger II of Sicily. In the period around 1154 he produced a number of
place names etc. In many cases these were then ‘hand painted’ to add some colour to the finished
outstanding ‘world’ maps and geographic books. The first of these books had the
product.
delightful title of ‘The Amusement of him who desires to traverse the Earth’. It is
In the late-1700s maps which showed a theme started to emerge. These were used to record the spread of
believed that the influence of Al-Idrisi’s work was far reaching with generations of
a particular ‘event’ – for instance, the location of people who had a contagious illness or the extent
Islamic map makers using his designs as the basis of their maps.
of a flood.
After the Middle Ages Through the ages maps have become more complex and more accurate – particularly as understanding of the
Earth, mathematics and geography has expanded.
In Europe, the Renaissance period brought a number of significant changes which hugely
affected mapping:

the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440 meant that The Modern Era
monasteries (ie religious orders) no longer dominated map production
the discovery of the Americas and expanded contact with the Orient resulted in
greater interest in distant places and migration Using modern satellite systems and surveying techniques, contemporary cartographers are now able to
the growth of major publishing houses which produced maps that were accessible to measure and map with very high precision and consistency. As a result, maps have become absolutely
all – not just the wealthy elite critical to most fields of human endeavour.
the growth in public learning brought a thirst for knowledge – this was aided by
the establishment of institutions such as the French Academy of Science, which was This is a typical map published in the 2000s. In
established in 1666 to encourage scientific research – including the improvement of particular, it uses a known projection which is able to be
mapping and navigation charting described by its title ‘Oblique Mercator Projection'. It
This map of Australia is from the mid- incorporates the features which maps through the ages have
1850s and it is typical of maps of this focused on – describing the landscape – in this case the
period. Features to note include: location and names of places, rivers etc and the coastline.
- Base map printed in a dark colour In addition to this, it is colourful, has no decoration and
(usually black or sepia) gives an indication of the height of the land and depth of
- The addition of colour by hand the sea – a theme.
painting (it is interesting to note
that, in haste, the artist painted the
land as well as water areas around
Adelaide. Also, an incorrect river (ie
not the Murray River) has been shown as
the Victoria/New South Wales border.
- The elaborate frame which is
reminiscent of the earlier hand drawn
maps where all the paper was filled by
gargoyles, cherubs etc
- If you look closely the lines of
longitude are indicated as west from
Washington (on the bottom of the map)
and east from Greenwich (on the top of
the map).
MOOD BOARD
 CONCEPT NOTE

Across the fashion spectrum, customers are veering towards the comfortable. Sales of trainers are soaring, soft
lingerie is booming, activewear and athleisure are everyday staples, and consumers are demanding both form and
function from their fashion choices. As the ultimate in comfort clothing, sleepwear has been benefiting from the
consumer quest for cosiness, as well as the wider trend of pyjama-style daywear separates.At Calvin Klein, function
comes before form — we design products that have a meaningful impact on our customers’ everyday lives. This is our
mission as a company. Inspired by the theme of maps the idea is to create a luxury SS 2022 sleepwear collection for
women.
All our pieces are designed to fit and flatter with style. With the flexible comfort of transitional dressing, our
versatile pieces will take you effortlessly from night to day.Whether you’re sharing an evening with an admirer or
lounging at home unaccompanied, find sleepwear for women that feels delectable through every moment of the night.
We believe that good design takes time and patience, and a great deal of development goes into every single detail
of our clothing.
 KEY FABRICS
Organic Double Gauze
Jersey-single knitted

Swiss dot fabric

Ginghams

seek sucker
Satin

Cotton Dobby Fabric

Jacquard
 TREND ANALYSIS

pretty lacing

piping detail

back interest

embroidery

soft ruffles
 CLIENT BOARD

Nationality:Indian

Gender:Female

Age Group:18-35

Geographical location:Metropolitian cities and suburbs

Lifestyle:student, working, traveller and fashion

follower/influencer

Annual Income: 25-35 Lakhs p.a

Personality:Confident, Independent, fashionable,

creative

Fashion view: fashionable and trendy, young and

experimental

Shops from: Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Versace

 DESIGN BRIEF

PROJECT OVERVIEW OBJECTIVES AND GOALS

Calvin klein is a retail luxury brand introducing a The idea behind the launch of this collection is for the
premium luxury sleepwear collection for women with a modern and younger consumers who are not attracted to the idea
focus on ‘loungey’ looks in sleepwear. of sleepwear anymore.

COMPETITORS
Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger are the two top competitors for TARGET AUDIENCE
the brand Calvin Klein's target market focuses on the women aged around
18-35 years and desire modern fashion towards products.
UNIQUE SELLING PRODUCT client-women
Comfort that wearer gets age-18-35 years
income 25-35 lakhs p.a.
FABRICS FOR THE COLLECTION personailty-bold, creative, likes to travel and fun.
Cotton Dobby Fabric,Organic Double Gauze,seek sucker,
Jacquard, Swiss dot fabric,Ginghams and Satin.
BUGDET AND SCHEDULE
DELIVERABLES Estimated budget per garment is aroung 7-8k and the project
premium luxury sleepwear collection for women, designed to needs to be completed by Januaury 2022.
fit and flatter with style.
 REFERENCE LINKS

https://www.marketing91.com/top-11-calvin-klein-competitors/
https://www.marketing91.com/marketing-mix-calvin-klein/
https://avada.io/resources/calvin-klein-advertising.html
https://www.elon.edu/u/academics/communications/journal/wp-content/uploads/sites/153/2018/05/01_Feinsot.pdf
https://hypebae.com/2020/9/kith-calvin-klein-collaboration-collection-underwear-bras-gigi-hadid-campaign-release-date
https://www.icsm.gov.au/education/fundamentals-mapping/history-mapping