pgLang was launched in March 2020, and this is the company’s first step into the fashion industry. As an iconic global fashion lifestyle brand, Calvin Klein’s approach to design and authentic connection to culture reflects pgLang’s own ethos of diverse, youthful, and free creative expression.

The pgLang and Calvin Klein partnership presented an opportunity for a renewed take on Calvin Klein’s brand platform in support of individuality and expression. The films focused on captivating storytelling via 8 short films centered around emerging talent who authentically captured the emotion of the current moment.

The campaign's objectives were to highlight the connected narratives and drive awareness, reach, brand relevance, and engagement for Calvin Klein. The question this campaign answers for future campaigns is how brands find genuine pathways of speaking to new audiences without forcing the connection.

pgLang for Calvin Klein is a series of short films created by Dave Free at pgLang featuring Baby Keem, Brent Faiyaz, Travis Bennett, Ryan Destiny, Keith Powers, Amber Wagner, Mecca Allah, and Exavier. pgLang weaves the brand’s most iconic products on full display with characters authentically decked in denim, underwear, and sportswear and always representing how Calvin Klein is worn in real life—iconic American essentials that each person can make their own.

The films elevate the everyday shared experiences and prioritize optimism and creativity beyond all else by speaking with a language universally understood for people who can’t find the words to express how they feel. pgLang for Calvin Klein ushers in a new era of inspiring, humorous and relatable advertising - not only for Calvin Klein but for the entire fashion industry.

pgLang and Calvin Klein elevate the familiar with short films that bring forward the beauty of real life and keep you guessing. pgLang’s strategic aim with this campaign was to explore the unique pockets of what makes experiences or products classic. Featuring a surprising cast, familiar yet untold storylines, original scores paired with intelligent sound design, and clever dialogue from pgLang’s lexicon.

“This was about us, our community, people that speak different languages and break formats. pgLang exists to champion the next generation of avant-garde talent. We made the films we wanted to make (for Calvin Klein). There were no rules.” - Dave Free

Calvin Klein and pgLang announced their content partnership with a mysterious Instagram post on their respective accounts on January 13th, 2021, teasing fans of both brands with a tracklist and first glimpse of the visuals.

On January 14th, 2021, Calvin Klein, pgLang, and the cast began to release their short films numbered 0-7 throughout the day in an orchestrated release of thirty-minute increments.

Simultaneously, billboards and wild postings began to appear in NYC, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

The pgLang for Calvin Klein campaign released to a storm of positive praise and sentiment (74+%), with fans genuinely delighted to see pgLang’s first collaboration alongside the iconic Calvin Klein. The films' casts were lauded for their contributions to the campaign on their personal platforms, with views exceeding over 10MM+ with an impressive 12%+ engagement rate. The day following the launch, thousands of fans held a vibrant discussion on the highly engaged Clubhouse app to discuss the individual films' depth and complexity. The audio-only platform users praised both pgLang and Calvin Klein for being brave and challenging traditional advertising boundaries by releasing powerful and layered stories, stunning visuals, and curating a discerning cast of talent. The conversations on the web and social surrounding the campaign generated earned media value of over one million dollars for the Calvin Klein brand, while most importantly, engaging and delighting one of the most