Kenneth Cole announces Joe Jonas as its new global brand ambassador with the launch of INSPIRE. The pairing brings together two names whose pop-cultural recognition stretches beyond the present moment. Directed by Anthony Mandler, the campaign pokes fun at fragrance advertising, casting Jonas as its exaggerated leading man.
Joe Jonas for Kenneth Cole INSPIRE
He poses with a guitar and microphone before breaking into an original power ballad that credits INSPIRE with improbable powers of attraction. Kenneth Cole may mock the seductive promises long used to sell men’s fragrance, but the campaign knows that fantasy remains part of the appeal.
Behind the joke is a woody aromatic fragrance by Givaudan perfumer Christine Hassan, where bergamot, lemon, and grapefruit meet rosemary, cypress, black pepper, cedarwood, oakmoss, and amber. The notes reveal a fresh, classic masculine profile, with crisp citrus leading to herbal spice and an earthy, woody base.
Priced from $18 to $75, INSPIRE launches nationwide at Nordstrom Rack, alongside select Nordstrom stores and both retailers’ websites, with wider U.S. and international distribution to follow.
