A new ad from clothier Suitsupply that shows models opening wide to kiss had some consumers dropping their own jaws in response. Called “The New Normal,” the racy campaign includes images of men and women, some clothed, some in underwear, piled on top of each other in romantic positions. In some cases, spit is visible, which some were quick to point out on social media.

Running on Suitsupply’s website, social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram, and in-store displays, the ads are a stark departure from the rest of the brand’s social feeds, which shows solitary, clothed men modeling Suitsupply’s wares against white backdrops. The images are also notable for showing models unmasked and as close as they can get, rather than socially distant. In contrast, last May, the suit brand showcased an image that showed masked men trying on suits at a distance from one another in a store.

“The New Normal is Coming. Get Ready to Get Closer,” one Instagram caption read for the new ad.

According to a Suitsupply spokeswoman, the campaign is a kick-off to the coming spring season. Indeed, Suitsupply is one of a host of brands looking to a more optimistic season of consumer spending as vaccines roll out. The push will run on Suitsupply’s website, social media platforms and in-store displays. It was created internally, she says.

In a statement, Fokee de Jong, Suitsupply’s founder and CEO, noted that post-pandemic life is coming.

“Social distancing for extraordinarily long periods of time have conditioned us to fear proximity of others and that is perfectly justified,” he said. “The campaign is simply a positive outlook on our future where people can get back to gathering and getting close.”

Yet consumers, many of whom are still masked and following social distance guidelines, had mixed reviews, with some applauding the daring of the provocative campaign and others accusing the brand of “not reading the room.” Nevertheless, Suitsupply is getting buzz. As of early afternoon Thursday, hours after the campaign first broke, there had been 500 mentions of the Suitsupply brand, compared to 700 for the week in total, according to Talkwalker, the social listening firm, which found that the mentions have generated 3,700 engagements.

Suitsupply's “The New Normal” campaign also comes at a time when many consumers, still working from home, are choosing sweatpants over suits. In 2020, total apparel sales dropped 19%, though specific leisurewear categories were on the rise, according to market research firm NPD Group. Sales of sweatpants rose 17% during the year, while sales of sleepwear rose 6% and sales of sports bras increased 10%, NPD recently reported, noting in a release that “tailored clothing, dresses and dress shoes, which were already losing share to more comfort-oriented attire pre-pandemic, were hit particularly hard in 2020.”