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Even though it was utterly ridiculous I had the nerve to write about fashion yesterday, I’m going to ignore the irony and jump right back in again.
Now to be honest, this will all sound a bit sore-loserish because it involves a brand that we once worked with, versus a campaign that their new agency has put out.
In addition, I’m wrongly comparing a launch brand campaign with a tactical digital ad … but hey, this is my blog [allegedly] so I can do what I want on it.
Anyway, in the interests of professionalism, I won’t say anything else, all I will ask you to do is compare this:
… with this …
… and let me know whether you think their current approach will keep the Levi’s brand at the forefront of culture or whether they have realised that’s an expensive battle to engage in and their commercial future lies in appealing to middle-aged, averagedom … regardless of the fact few 40-somethings aspire to wear clothes that label them as a 40-something and it certainly won’t be something that will make the next generation of middle aged look at the brand in an aspirational way, as they discovered to their dismay in the 90’s.
Though that’s just me and as we all know, I’m to fashion what Krispy Kremes are to nutrition.
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A fair comparison would be to see the Father’s Day work you did when you had the account. I assume you didn’t do any for the reasons you touch on in the post, which means I have 2 responses.
1. Levi’s seem to have stopped caring about being future relevant.
Comment by Pete August 1, 2014 @ 6:25 am2. How did you ensure the brand could still exploit high sales traffic periods without sacrificing what you were developing for them long term? How do you do it for Nike, or do you?
For the record, I really liked “go forth”.
Dad’s day done right is not done right.
Comment by Pete August 1, 2014 @ 6:26 amLevis and Nike have high sales traffic periods unique to them? Is that true?
Comment by john August 1, 2014 @ 6:41 amIs anything unique to anyone. Except this blog to Rob and he can keep it that way for all I care.
Comment by DH August 1, 2014 @ 6:44 amI’m not sure I understand your point John. Are you saying Levi’s wouldn’t experience a sales lift during the Father’s Day period? Or is your point sell through naturally improves over this period so it can’t be called “high traffic” as it represents the normal curve of their annual sales flow?
Comment by Bazza August 1, 2014 @ 6:52 amI wasn’t being Father’s Day specific, just asking whether there are time of year when people say I must go out and buy jeans and/or sneakers?
Comment by john August 1, 2014 @ 6:56 amwhen youre an advertising fucking monkey.
Comment by andy@cynic August 1, 2014 @ 7:02 amYeah, father’s day.
Comment by DH August 1, 2014 @ 7:06 amYes … I know that Pete, but I saw that Father’s Day thing and it just struck me as being about as opposite of what the brand has been doing for the past few years as you could get. Maybe it was a one-off … but even then, why would you use a tone that is so errrrrrm, different.
Though I’m sure someone will say that by using ‘Dad’s Day’, they are capturing the raw energy of the brand.
Or something.
Comment by Rob August 1, 2014 @ 8:47 amOh, and to answer your second question [& Doddsy’s first] … in terms of LEVI’S and NIKE, we would do work around ‘gifting seasons’, but it would never [or at least rarely] talk about the season, it would always be about the brand.
Other brands may require more specific gift-giving work [When we had ‘Target’ for example] and local retailers may do their own ads that talk about our brand in the context of the season, but we felt doing work that people found interesting rather than doing work that talked about the same thing as everyone else was better for them – both from a brand, differentiation and sales perspective.
Comment by Rob August 1, 2014 @ 8:51 amIt was a rhetorical question.
Comment by DH August 1, 2014 @ 9:18 amYeah, “capturing the raw energy of the brand”. I can hear someone saying that in the meeting to sell this ad.
I can’t imagine anyone saying “it’s actively reminding the younger generation why Levi’s is their Dad’s brand and not theirs”.
For the record, I bought my first pair of Levi’s in 1967 for 39/11d, and have been loyal to the brand ever since. So I’m part of the problem. None of my kids ever buy them – not even for me.
Comment by Ian Gee August 1, 2014 @ 7:11 pmAs timely as usual Rob.
Comment by Billy Whizz August 1, 2014 @ 6:30 amAlways on the forefront of culture.
Comment by Rob August 1, 2014 @ 8:53 amSlightly ironic you say Levi’s are lacking relevancy when it’s almost August and you’re writing about a dad’s day campaign from months ago.
Comment by DH August 1, 2014 @ 6:42 amBut you do irony better than anyone I know.
Comment by DH August 1, 2014 @ 6:43 amDon’t worry Rob, today’s post and yesterday’s post had nothing to do with fashion.
Comment by Bazza August 1, 2014 @ 6:46 amlook at you being a fashionista bitch.
Comment by andy@cynic August 1, 2014 @ 7:02 amSmall man issues?
Comment by Rob August 1, 2014 @ 8:53 amwhy the fuck dont you put them out their misery and just wear their jeans out in public. as soon as that shit hits the world, the final nail will be banged into their shitty denim coffin.
Comment by andy@cynic August 1, 2014 @ 6:57 amWow, that’s a great idea. I could blackmail companies into NOT wearing or using their brands so that they can continue to grow and prosper. I’ll be richer than rich in no time.
Sadly I can’t do it though … because if I did, I know you’d try and charge me a 99% ‘management and idea’ fee and there’s no way I’m going to let you get wealthy off me. We both know it’s always the other way round.
[Consider that last sentence your early Christmas pressie]
Comment by Rob August 1, 2014 @ 8:55 amwhat youre doing is comparing afghanistan to fucking nottingham. theres no fucking comparison because its irrelevant and unfuckingfair. thinking about it, that dads day shit is even better than nottingham because they at least have tried to come up with a reason to go there.
Comment by andy@cynic August 1, 2014 @ 7:00 amHarsh but fair.
Comment by DH August 1, 2014 @ 7:07 am[…] The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!] […]
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