Calvin Klein's Scandalous Advertising - Morality vs Money

            
 
Case Studies in Business Marketing

ICMR HOME | Case Studies Collection

Case Details:

Case Code : MKTG084
Case Length : 13 Pages
Period : 1974-2003
Pub Date : 2004
Teaching Note :Not Available
Organization : Calvin Klein
Industry : Fashion
Countries : USA

To download Calvin Klein's Scandalous Advertising - Morality vs Money case study (Case Code: MKTG084) click on the button below, and select the case from the list of available cases:

Marketing Management Case Studies | Case Study in Management, Operations, Strategies, Marketing Management, Case Studies



Price:
For delivery in electronic format: Rs. 400;
For delivery through courier (within India): Rs. 400 + Shipping & Handling Charges extra

» Marketing Case Studies
» Marketing Management Short Case Studies
» View Detailed Pricing Info
» How To Order This Case
» Business Case Studies
» Case Studies by Area
» Case Studies by Industry
» Case Studies by Company

Custom Search


Please note:

This case study was compiled from published sources, and is intended to be used as a basis for class discussion. It is not intended to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation. Nor is it a primary information source.



Chat with us

Strategic Management Formulation, Implementation, & Control, 12e

Please leave your feedback

Leave Your Feedback

<< Previous

"Jeans are about sex."1

- Calvin Klein, in September 1991.

"Only soulless corporations such as Calvin Klein, unendowed with social responsibility or morals, are allowed to degrade our freedom and humans rights to make a buck."

- A Chicago Sun Times quote as available on www.americandecency.org.

"The furor caused by Calvin Klein's 1995 jeans campaign, featuring childlike models, most probably is unrivaled in American advertising history."

- 'Ad Agency Employees Give Views on Calvin Klein, Benetton Ads,' Marketing News, September 23, 1996.

Advertisements? OR Child Pornography?

Since its inception, the global fashion industry has been subject to moral and ethical controversies. This is because the diverse socio-cultural norms in different parts of the world make it difficult to define the thin line between fashion and vulgarity. However, there have been times when even the most liberal fashion aficionado was shocked by certain advertisements. The 1995 controversy surrounding one of the world's most popular fashion labels, Calvin Klein, is the perfect example of one such advertisement campaign. This campaign generated unprecedented outrage among the entire United States (US) for its alleged use of youngsters in a sexually provocative manner.

Marketing Management Case Studies | Case Study in Management, Operations, Strategies, Marketing Management, Case Studies

Termed as 'kiddie porn' (pornography featuring children), this multi-media campaign comprised print and television commercials that were indeed very scandalous. They featured very young teenage boys and girls, who were portrayed as if being auditioned for a performance in an adult movie.

The advertisements began appearing in print, electronic and outdoor media (the YM magazine, music channel MTV and buses for instance) in July 1995 (Refer Exhibit I for the advertisements).

Objections arose against the advertisements throughout the US. Parents, retailing companies (such as Dayton Hudson Corp.) and many child welfare groups (notably, the American Family Association) and religious groups voiced their anger against Calvin Klein.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched a probe against Calvin Klein in August 1995 to check whether the company had broken any laws.

Calvin Klein's Scandalous Advertising - Morality vs Money - Next Page>>


Custom Search

1] "I Never Said that Haier and Lenovo are not Brands," An exclusive dialogue with Shelly Lazarus, www.people.com.cn, February 28, 2005.

Case Studies Links:- Case Studies, Short Case Studies, Simplified Case Studies.

Other Case Studies:- Multimedia Case Studies, Cases in Other Languages.

Business Reports Link:- Business Reports.

Books:- Text Books, Work Books, Case Study Volumes.