• December 1, 2009

Dockers is launching a new global campaign for khakis, "Wear the Pants." The effort is aimed at bringing some hipness back to a fabric that has come to mean ... nothing.

"The category is in decline for a reason. Khaki brands have been stuck in the 20th century with little in the way of new product news for the last 10 to 15 years. We are going to change that," said Jim Calhoun, President, Dockers brand, in a statement.

The humorous effort, via the San Francisco office of DraftFCB, positions khaki pants for versatility. The campaign uses lines like "Khaki Diem," "Mansformation," and "Manthropomorphism" in print, billboard, radio, social media, events and digital ads rolling out this month, and the television spot that will debut during Super Bowl XLIV on Feb. 7, the first time Dockers has featured an ad on this broadcast since 2002. The campaign will run in more than 40 countries.

The new line of Dockers soft khakis comes in nine colors and range in price from $30 to $50. It will add thinner-weight cottons, patterned pants, cutoff shorts, and cargo pants in coming months. There will also be a retro pant called K-1, a recreation of 1940s WWII officer pants in boutique and specialty stores in the spring.--Karl Greenberg