Honestly, if you were anywhere near a screen in early 2024, you saw it. The hair. The New York rooftop. The white briefs. It felt like the entire internet collectively gasped at the same time. The Jeremy Allen White CK ad wasn't just another fashion campaign; it was a total cultural reset that basically broke the marketing mold.
People think it went viral just because he’s fit. Sure, that helps. But there is a lot more going on under the surface of those Mert Alas-directed shots than just a guy doing pull-ups in his underwear.
The Anatomy of a Viral Moment
Let's get real for a second. Calvin Klein has been doing the "hunky guy in white undies" thing since Marky Mark in the '90s. So why did this one hit so much harder?
Part of it is the "Carmy" effect. Everyone was already obsessed with his character in The Bear. Seeing that intense, blue-collar Chicago chef energy transplanted onto a Manhattan rooftop—scored by Lesley Gore’s "You Don’t Own Me"—created this weirdly perfect alchemy. It felt authentic. It didn't look like a high-fashion shoot where the model is a blank canvas. It looked like Jeremy Allen White, a kid from Brooklyn, just hanging out in his backyard. Well, a very expensive, sun-drenched backyard.
PVH Corp, the parent company of Calvin Klein, later dropped some wild stats. This single campaign generated roughly $74 million in media value in its first few weeks. Even crazier? Underwear sales for the brand jumped 30% year-over-year immediately after the launch. Most "viral" ads are just noise—people talk but they don't buy. This one actually moved the needle.
It Wasn't Just One Ad
Most people talk about "the" ad, but there have actually been three distinct chapters in this partnership.
- Spring 2024 (The Debut): This was the big one. The rooftop. The orange couch. The Lesley Gore track. It was shot in New York by Mert Alas and felt like a love letter to the city.
- Fall 2024 (The Poolside Sequel): Released in August, this one moved the vibe to Los Angeles. Sun-drenched, poolside, and featured a dog. The music shifted to "Crimson and Clover" by The Shacks. Still cool, but definitely more "rockstar-off-duty."
- Winter 2024 (The Domestic Pivot): This most recent installment, shot by Stuart Winecoff, is way more "lifestyle." He’s in a kitchen making a PB&J (with the crusts cut off, very The Bear). He’s wearing cashmere and denim. It’s less about the "thirst trap" and more about the "boyfriend" energy.
Why the "No Idea" Criticism is Wrong
After the first ad dropped, a bunch of advertising purists on LinkedIn started complaining. They said there was "no big idea" behind it. One famous creative, Sir John Hegarty, even called it "just decoration."
But they kinda missed the point.
The "idea" was the casting and the timing. In a world of over-edited, AI-enhanced imagery, the Jeremy Allen White CK ad felt raw. He has that "dirty-hot" aesthetic—messy hair, real skin texture, and a physique that looks like it came from manual labor rather than a luxury gym in West Hollywood. He looks like a guy who actually lives in his clothes.
Calvin Klein understood that in 2024 and 2025, people don't want a "concept." They want a vibe. They want something that feels like a stolen moment.
The "National Landmark" Meme
The cultural impact got so weird that the massive billboard on Lafayette and Houston Street in NYC was literally dubbed a "national landmark" by fans on TikTok. People were actually making pilgrimages to it. You've got to admit, getting Gen Z to care about a billboard in the age of 5-second skippable ads is a massive win.
The Technical Mastery Behind the Lens
While we’re all looking at the muscles, the industry was looking at the color grading. Simona Cristea, the head of color at Coffee & TV, worked with Mert Alas to create that specific "golden hour" look. It’s not just a filter. It’s a very deliberate cinematic grade meant to evoke optimism and freedom.
The lighting in the first ad is specifically designed to make the white cotton pop against the New York skyline. It’s high-contrast but warm. It makes the underwear look like a classic piece of Americana, right up there with a white t-shirt or a pair of 501s.
What Brands Can Learn
If you're looking for the "secret sauce" here, it's not just "hire a hot actor." It's about:
- Cultural Synergy: Matching the actor's current "persona" (the intense, soulful chef) with the brand's heritage.
- Musical Cues: "You Don't Own Me" gave the ad a defiant, feminist-adjacent energy that made it feel empowering rather than just objectifying.
- Platform Agnostic Design: The vertical shots were clearly made for TikTok and Reels first, not just cropped from a horizontal TV spot.
The Shift to "The New Wardrobe"
By the time the Winter 2024 collection rolled around, the strategy changed. They leaned into his acting skills. In the 35-second spot for the Studio collection, he’s dancing in a living room and preparing snacks. It’s a domestic fantasy.
This is the "long game" of celebrity branding. You hook them with the shock of the underwear ad, and then you pivot to selling them the $200 wool trousers and the $400 cashmere sweaters. It’s basically a masterclass in how to transition a viral moment into a sustainable business strategy.
If you want to replicate even a fraction of this impact for a personal brand or a business, stop trying to be "perfect." The reason Jeremy Allen White works is because he looks a little bit tired, a little bit messy, and very human. In 2026, "perfect" is boring. "Real" is what sells.
To get the most out of this aesthetic for your own content or branding:
- Focus on "High-Lo" lighting: Use natural golden hour light but keep the background gritty and urban.
- Prioritize texture: Whether it’s denim, cotton, or skin, let the details show rather than smoothing them out with filters.
- Use "Irony" in your soundtrack: Match a tough visual with a classic, soulful, or unexpected track to create a "vibe" that sticks.