Beyoncé and Levi’s Officially Team Up for New Ad Campaign
First came the song — now the campaign.
When Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album was released in April, it was her take on country that got most of the attention. But at Levi’s headquarters in San Francisco, home of the 501, there was one track in particular that was getting all the love: a duet with Post Malone called “Levii’s Jeans.”
More from WWD
The brand celebrated the callout immediately online, changing its name on social media to “Levii’s” with a nod to Queen Bey.
Kenny Mitchell, global chief marketing officer of the Levi’s brand at Levi Strauss & Co., called it moving “at the speed of culture.” That started a back-and-forth that has now led to a multimedia ad campaign trading on Beyoncé’s star power and Levi’s rich heritage.
The “Reiimagine” campaign will reinterpret some of Levi’s most iconic advertisements. First up is a 1985 commercial that had a young man going into a laundromat, stripping off his Levi’s and waiting in his underwear while his jeans were washed.
But in the updated version, Beyoncé struts in and, supremely confident, puts a strong female character front and center.
“My song ‘Levii’s Jeans’ celebrates what I believe is the ultimate Americana uniform — something we all wear with pride,” Beyoncé said. “I am honored to work with Levi’s to create quintessential American iconography. Denim on denim has often been seen through a male lens, so this reimagining campaign, which celebrates the iconic female perspective, is important to me. I look forward to exploring innovative ways for our visions to align in empowering women and honoring their strength.”
The campaign includes television, out-of-home, digital, social media, print, brand activations and exclusive products. It kicked off last week with a teaser on Levi’s Instagram account and digital projections in key markets, including San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Paris and Berlin.
Future spots will play to other well-known Levi’s looks, from Western styles to trucker jackets to shorts.
“This campaign is celebrating two icons,” said Levi’s Mitchell in an interview. “It’s inspired by Levi’s and our unparalleled history and impact over time, as well as Beyoncé, who’s a culture shaping artist and icon.”
Beyoncé has worked with Levi’s before, when the brand tapped her former group, Destiny’s Child, to help promote super low-cut jeans, in 2001, of course. (In a sign of the times, Mitchell noted the campaign featured a mix tape as a gift with purchase).
But Beyoncé has continued to wear Levi’s, sporting a pair of the brand’s shorts during her 2018 Coachella performance, which was captured in “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé.”
That placement was “organic” and didn’t involve any payment, said Mitchell.
“She chose to wear them,” he said. “To me, that’s a good indication of her interest in the brand.
“Levi’s has and continues to outfit the world’s changemakers, the Originals as we call them, the icons,” Mitchell said. “We like to say that we’re like the unofficial uniform of progress and people that are moving forward — in the pursuit of better, whether that’s big or small.”
The campaign plays into themes that are important not just to Levi’s, but the brand’s parent company, Levi Strauss & Co., as well.
About a third of the Levi’s business comes from women’s and the plan is to boost that to about 50 percent.
Michelle Gass, who took the reins at the company as chief executive officer in January, said in June that the women’s business was a “big standout” in the second quarter, with sales that were up 22 percent in the global direct-to-consumer business and 30 percent in the U.S.
“We’re sharpening our focus and really amplifying our agenda here,” Gass said.
And that was before the brand brought Beyoncé on board.
Beyoncé’s Country Style Through The Years
Launch Gallery: Beyoncé's Country Style Through The Years
Best of WWD
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
