Ad Nauseam Classics: Levi’s Jeans

  By Éilish Burke | July 22, 2010 - 4:00 pm | Adverts, The Culch

If any one brand deserves credit for consistently making interesting and provocative TV commercials it’s Levi’s. Back in the 1990s the American jean company seemed to bring out one show stopping ad after another. There was a time when whomever was lucky enough to have their song featured on a Levi’s commercial was almost guaranteed a Number 1 chart hit. I mean, it’s not like Babylon Zoo were ever going to make it on their own is it?

The late ‘80s / early ‘90s were the glory days of the 501 jean; if you didn’t have a pair of Levi’s 501s back then you may as well be dead (or so went my teenage reasoning with my mother). The appeal of the 501 was driven home through a series of commercials all featuring a James Dean type character; all sexy moodiness, generally with a Brylcreemed-in-place quiff in his hair and an indentured waitress-type eying him up hungrily from behind the counter in a ramshackle bar / roadhouse. Of course the best-known ad during this period is the one with Nick Kamen in his jocks, stonewashing his 501s in a postwar laundrette. While that commercial is undoubtedly a classic, my favourite of the era is an ad which brings this anti-hero character out of small town America and places him in unfamiliar territory; Wall Street.

It’s an interesting commentary on a certain point in modern history, even if it does suggest that women with ‘big jobs in the city’ really need to take off that powersuit, let down their hair and ride off into the sunset with a hunk on a Harley. Girl power this ‘aint, but back then Levi’s wasn’t really about the girls (then again, it’s not like most of us ladies mind watching ads featuring Brad Pitt, however bad they are). In fact, it’s only in the past decade or so that women have begun to feature as characters in their own right in Levi’s ads. The late ‘90s also saw the company move away from advertising the 501 as, paradoxically, the success of the cut (if your Dad is wearing it, it’s no longer cool) in addition to changes in fashion meant that other styles were more popular with their core youth audience. Their advertising began to focus on other cuts and features - notably the buttonfly.

And then of course, there was Flat Eric.

With a truckload of cash in the pot, it must be pretty nice to be on the marketing team at Levi’s. When hiring creative types to make an ad you wouldn’t exactly have to go to the local film school for the shortlist. Want to hire a big-shot Hollywood director such as Michael Bay? No problem. What about critical darling Michel Gondry? Hey, we can pay him to do a whole host of ads for us. My favourite by Gondry and entering into the Guinness Book of Records for most awards ever won is his ‘Watchpocket’ commercial. It’s a return to the Depression era scene-scape seen in older Levi’s ads, but with a wry twist.

My YouTubing for this post has led me to come across some advertising for Levi’s which I haven’t seen on this side of the pond. Never ones to shy away from a bit of provocation, Levi’s are addressing the subjects of sexuality and identity head-on in their ‘Live Unbuttoned’ series of commercials. Teenagers literally ‘take the plunge’ in an allegory about the loss of virginity and a lesbian couple share intimate moments (in and out of their jeans) on camera. Many may accuse the company of using gay storylines to shock middle America (or middle UK or Ireland for that matter) or perhaps as a cynical cash-in on the gay market. However I disagree. The sensitivity and non-sensationalism of these ads show a brand taking leadership in the positive, non-stereotypical portrayal of gay characters in advertising. And with commercials this good, the message carries through.

Interestingly, all of the ads I’ve just mentioned are for the (redesigned) 501 jean. It’s a long way from Harley Davidsons. And to finish, remember the Levi’s ad with the couple running through walls and eventually against gravity and out into space? It was brilliant wasn’t it? Stylishly done, thought-provoking, and true to the product. Well, this isn’t that ad.

About Éilish Burke

Éilish writes the Ad Nauseam series of posts for Culch.ie as well as some other bit and bobs. She used to work in adland and still likes to dissect the advertising she comes across, though these days mainly from the comfort of her couch and in the form of angry tirades while her flatmate rolls her eyes to heaven. She secretly harbours smug feelings that instead of saving and putting a deposit on a house she spent all her life savings on extravagant holidays and has therefore escaped a lifetime in negative equity. She co-runs a company called Amp Music Marketing. You can get in touch with her at eilishburke{at}gmail{dot}com or follow her on Twitter.

One Response to Ad Nauseam Classics: Levi’s Jeans

  1. Bngr says:
    August 1, 2010 at 12:36 am

    I also love the levi ads and every so often I spend ages going through them all on yuotube. I found a long lost favourite recently cause not all of them are on there, bu this one is and is a total classic I think’s missing from your list. It’s the Silkskin one with the Amish family. So beautifully shot.