Have you ever had a deep, life-changing bonding moment with a loved one? Maybe over a meaningful conversation? A shared secret? A profound cultural experience? For me, it was when my Abuelita and I would eat soda crackers with coffee.
Back in my day (which was somewhere between landlines, mixtapes, and the rise of avocado toast), nothing compared to the quiet time I spent bonding with my Abuelita over a cup of her homemade café con leche and a humble stack of soda crackers. It wasn’t fancy, but it was everything. The coffee, an adult beverage usually off-limits to my little self, felt like a naughty indulgence. Just me, my Abuelita, and a contraband cup of café. I thought nothing could ever top that moment. And nothing did … until yesterday.
Last night, my sweet daughter and I bonded over a new kind of “naughty treat.” Not a heartwarming beverage. Not a generational family recipe. No, this time, the bonding agent was Bad Bunny in his Calvin Kleins.
And judging by the internet’s collective meltdown, we’re not alone.
Internet Bonding over Bad Bunny
This week, The New York Post summarized the global reaction with the headline: “Fans go feral for Bad Bunny in new Calvin Klein underwear campaign: ‘Gracias Calvin.’”
Yes. Gracias, Calvin. Gracias, indeed.
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In what can only be described as a public service to humanity, the international superstar and the iconic fashion brand have united millions of us around the world. The campaign, featuring Bad Bunny in nothing but his Calvin Kleins, has taken over TikTok, Instagram, and presumably the vision boards of women everywhere.
Did Bad Bunny know he was going to break the internet? “Not on purpose,” he says.
Numbers Don’t Lie and Neither Do Moms and Abuelas
Bad Bunny’s viral CK moment has become a worldwide event.
“The mini ad didn’t just go viral,” nss magazine writes. “It overwhelmed the internet. In less than a week, the TikTok video reached 1.8 million likes and 20.3 million views; on Instagram, the same video surpassed 30 million views.”
And that was in less than a week.
Even Bad Bunny himself acknowledged the campaign’s significance, saying: “This has been in the works for some time now, seeing it finally come to life has been gratifying. I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to be part of this brand’s iconic campaign, and getting to shoot it in Puerto Rico made it that much more special and genuine.”
Meanwhile, the rest of us are just out here watching, rewatching, and possibly re-rewatching with our moms and grandmas.
A New Era of Family Bonding
What my Abuela and I did back in the day? Child’s play.
Today’s mother-daughter bonding sessions involve playing and replaying Bad Bunny’s Calvin Klein reel, filming your own reaction, then filming your mom’s reaction, then filming your Abuela’s reaction. Three generations, one thirst trap.
This is not the bonding activity I expected to share with my daughter. But hey, times change. In my day, we had Ricky Martin in tight pants. Now? We have Bad Bunny in his underwear. Progress.
And let’s be honest: no one’s complaining.
Bad Bunny’s Fashion Takeover
This isn’t the first time the Puerto Rican megastar (real name: Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, 31) has graced the fashion world. In fact, he’s been the go-to style icon for years.
“With 90 billion streams on Spotify and 47 million followers on Instagram, Bunny’s likability has been borrowed by other fashion brands before,” Yahoo Entertainment explains. “The singer has starred in multiple Jacquemus campaigns, collaborated with Adidas on signature sneakers, and posed with Kendall Jenner for Gucci Valigeria’s 2024 ad. In 2024, Bunny was one of the top-searched guests at the Met Gala, earning Maison Margiela $9 million in MIV with his outfit.”
And now? He’s also the glue holding together mother-daughter-grandmother relationships worldwide.
So, to all the women out there scrolling through social media, giggling, blushing, and bonding over Bad Bunny’s latest campaign … cherish this moment.
Years from now, when my daughter looks back on our special time together, she won’t remember the snacks we shared or the life lessons I tried to teach.
She’ll remember the night we watched Bad Bunny pose in his Calvins, along with millions of others across the globe.
And somehow, I think my Abuelita would approve.
Featured photo by Eric Rojas.
