Comments on: Walt Whitman and the Levi’s ad

By: James

James — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:11:57 +0000

People will love this campaign or hate. Good for Levi’s for having the courage to take the risk.

I feel conflicted about the campaign — this is advertising at both its best and worst.

Best in its use of imagery in the service of commerce. Mythmaking beyond the product and brand.

Worst in its grafting of credibility onto a product that’s been at sea for so many years. The value built up by the life of a maverick repossessed by middling jeans.

The work is clearly remarkable. But I think it also presents a very difficult challenge to the mundanity of reality. What do they do next?

Will it be wall-to-wall uncle Walt? How many time will we hear the wax recordings? Is this durable value created or just a sideshow to remind us of how affecting great work can be?

By: Justin Kownacki

Justin Kownacki — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:44:59 +0000

America: Where nothing’s worth anything unless it’s used to sell something.

By: Obs

Obs — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:22:56 +0000

Seemed to me like a pretentious attempt to attach way too much meaning to a pair of pants. Nice meaning for the brand to aspire to, but a hell of a jump from previous brand meanings to the current one.

By: Carol L. Weinfeld

Carol L. Weinfeld — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:51:57 +0000

I appreciate the lofty goals of Wieden+Kennedy and the beautiful images wedded to Walt Whitman reciting his poem. The spot fits with the brand and its history. However, I believe that the target does not appreciate nor is interested in Walt Whitman. They also do not want to be told to “go forth.”

By: peter spear

peter spear — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:52:25 +0000

an informative review of the ad can be found here: http://www.slate.com/id/2233597/

By: Stephen Denny

Stephen Denny — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:46:19 +0000

If I’m not mistaken (and I might be), the “red tag” jeans are still made here, while the “yellow tags” come from elsewhere. However, I digress.

Using Walt Whitman’s writings and voice for an iconic American brand strikes me as very right. You don’t get much more American than Levi’s – just ask any hipster on the street in Harajuku.

What sent me scurrying to the basement for my shotgun and canned rations was the imagery of this campaign. I hope this isn’t the America we all aspire to – it looks a bit post-Apocalyptic. I thought it was an ad for The Colony at first. The words are inspirational – the images were dark, furtive, and decidedly pessimistic. Quite the juxtaposition. Was that the point? Ask W&K.

By: Jacob Payne

Jacob Payne — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:21:02 +0000

Levi’s aren’t American anymore. They may have started here, but they’re made in China. I would be insulted were I Whitman. We are constantly selling out our Americanism to other countries, this cheapens the meaning and sentimentality.

By: Rick Liebling

Rick Liebling — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:11:55 +0000

So, I’m with Grant on this. My first reaction to this campaign was very positive.

My take here: http://www.rickliebling.com/2009/10/27/levis-goes-forth-finally/

Now though I’ve read Christine Huang’s Huff Post article on this campaign (noted in my post) and the post referenced by Reg. G.

Clearly this needs additional thinking. My revised take is that a certain really smart segment of the population, and possibly not the Levi’s target, is really down on this campaign for some legit reasons. Not being a Whitman scholar (I’m guessing the target demo isn’t either), it worked for me.

By: Reg.G.

Reg.G. — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:32:52 +0000

On the other hand, I am a part of a community that found this to be rather disgusting. I agree with this http://jessicastover.com/entry.php?id=1225

By: peter spear

peter spear — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:01:00 +0000

i wonder if there is something of a cultural responsibility that is inherent to being Levi’s that allows the geniuses who produced this work to even consider creating value like this.

too often, perhaps, this kind of cultural significance is defined as a burden (we’re an institution, a tradition, a legacy) that runs counter to commercial interests. (let us not offend or be too bold for fear).

and yet what is particularly powerful and, which you trace, makes this work so effective is that it assumes and embraces this responsibility. and it is a cultural responsibility that rewards those brands that (stealing your language) assume themselves to be a culture maker or poet.

the question is, do you have to be levi’s to feel so free?