Yes, Couch!
This is the story of how Facebook turned Calvin Klein’s internet-breaking campaign into a marketing triumph for itself.
Watch the case study below:
Yes, Couch! Webpage
Context
On January 4th, Calvin Klein released its Spring 2024 Campaign featuring actor from "The Bear" Jeremy Allen White. The film follows Jeremy as he climbs the stairs to the rooftop of a New York City building where he lounges on a red corduroy couch in nothing but a pair of briefs. The campaign got fans around the world talking. But, they weren’t just talking about Jeremy’s abs – they wanted to know more about the couch.
Idea
Facebook reacted immediately, sourcing the exact couch Calvin Klein used on set and listed it on Marketplace for fans to discover. Minutes after the listing went live, fans around the world began talking, sharing and hypothesizing, sending culture into a frenzy. Is it the actual couch? Yes, Chef! Within 24 hours, organic videos across social were amassing millions of views. The best bit? From the moment the couch started trending, every media dollar Calvin Klein earned and spent became earned media dollars for Facebook.
After recieving thousands of inquires, including offers of peoples souls, kidneys and even a million dollars, a buyer was selected. But we didn't just pick any buyer. We wanted someone who actually deserved it. Fernanda C. was that person, after recently moving from LA to NY after her husband passed away.
The Drew Barrymore Show caught wind and asked if they could swap Drew's regular couch for the infamous red cordory couch before giving it to the new recipient on national TV alongside Jaimie Oliver and Chrissy Teagan. We of course said, Yes Chef!
Results
With $0 spent on media, talent or production, Facebook diverted the cultural conversation to highlight the incredible things you can find on Marketplace. We bought the couch for $3500 and the internet did what it does best. We’re still crunching the numbers but at the time of writing, the activation had garned over 2.7 billion in earned reach and close to $14 million in earned media.
“Yes, THAT COUCH is on Facebook Marketplace.”
“The red couch is attracting its share of attention, too. It’s the most coveted couch on planet Earth right now”
“Never has a couch excited the world so much.”
“The hottest seat in town is available on Facebook. ”
“Jeremy Allen’t hot couch It’s on Facebook Marketplace.”
“Be the proud owner of the infamous red corduroy couch.”
