Khloé Kardashian is facing criticism online after unveiling the campaign for her newest fragrance, XO BLUE, with many viewers calling the ad “cringe” and “awkward.”
In the beach-themed commercial, the Good American mogul showcases several different looks while promoting the scent. One outfit features a bright blue one-piece swimsuit, while another pairs oversized jeans worn low on the hips with a matching crochet bikini set. She also appears in a sheer, ocean-blue dress that clings to her figure as she lounges on seaside rocks, holding the perfume bottle.
Throughout the campaign, the reality star is surrounded by waves, rocky shorelines, and dramatic coastal scenery.
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Khloe Kardashian Debuts New Fragrance Commercial
Sharing the video on Instagram, the mom of two described the inspiration behind the fragrance. “XO BLUE is all about vacation, escape, and fun—a feeling I never want to end,” she wrote. “I am so excited to share this campaign with all of you and hope you let XO BLUE transport you away.”
However, many social media users were left more confused than inspired by the concept.
One Reddit user questioned a scene featuring a motorcycle riding along the shoreline, writing, “Is he riding a motorcycle in the ocean? What kind of weird reality is this? Why would someone ruin their bike just to chase a woman who appears to be bathing in perfume?”
Others criticized the overall execution of the ad. “If it’s this bad and this is the final version, imagine how much worse the rejected takes were,” one commenter joked. “The commercial is so cringe. Just no,” another wrote.
Several fragrance enthusiasts also pointed out that the campaign focuses heavily on visuals while offering little information about the scent itself.
“Why does every celebrity perfume ad avoid mentioning the fragrance notes?” one person asked. “I’m not buying perfume because of a dramatic beach scene. Tell me what it actually smells like.”
Others were baffled by the styling choices, particularly Khloé’s oversized jeans worn over swimwear. “Why is she wearing jeans on the beach?” one commenter wrote. “The motorcycle, the cave, the random rocks—none of it makes sense.”
“This feels like an SNL parody,” another added. “It’s unbelievably awkward.”
While some fans appreciated the vacation-inspired aesthetic, many viewers said the commercial missed the mark, with several describing it as “weird,” “confusing,” and “one of the most awkward celebrity fragrance ads” they’ve seen.
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Khloe Dishes On Her New Fragrance Launch
Khloé, however, couldn't be happier with how the fragrance and campaign turned out. Speaking with WWD, she revealed that one detail was never up for debate.
“Having the bottle be blue was a nonnegotiable,” Khloé told the outlet. “We also tried to come up with all these creative, clever names, and I was like, ‘No, let's do XO Blue.’ The fragrance is so transportive, so vacation-inspired, so tropical, in my opinion. It all just made sense.”
The reality star also explained that creating the scent pushed her outside of her comfort zone. Known for sticking to the same fragrances for years, Khloé said feedback from her customers inspired her to experiment with something different.
“I have always been a creature of habit and, dare I say, a little more rigid,” she admitted. “I don't really explore—I tend to wear the same scent over and over. But consumers encouraged me to create something new, something I don't think I would typically gravitate toward myself, and it ended up being such a fun experience.”
She added, “It's fun to be transported somewhere through fragrance, and it's fun to try new things.”
