Levi Strauss is launching its first global marketing campaign for its button-fly 501 jeans in which print and television ads contain the same theme, content and slogan -- "Live Unbuttoned" -- the
world over. In some cases, the actors will change to resemble the populace in the country where the ad is being presented.
The campaign shows characters letting go of inhibitions and being
carefree. One TV ad debuting in early August shows a young man and woman exchanging flirtatious glances as they unbutton their 501s. Ultimately, they both pull down their jeans and, holding hands,
leap off a pier into the ocean. They kiss underwater as the words "501" and "Live Unbuttoned" appear.
Levi Strauss is also retooling the jeans so that they will have the same fit in each
of the 110 countries they are sold. Levi Strauss CEO John Anderson says the company is going with both a global fit and global campaign because it believes straight-leg jeans are a global fashion
trend, and now is the time to establish the 501 as the obvious option. Analysts point out that there are also cost savings.
advertisement
advertisement
Read the whole story at The Wall Street Journal »