THE PROBLEM

Levi Strauss & Co., is a heritage American denim brand rooted in themes of craftsmanship, durability, authenticity and Americana. Its current visual style entails clean photography and polished models who have been styled to exude classic confidence, emphasizing legacy.

But as Gen Z (14-29 years old) gravitates towards athleisure, and in the category of denim, prefers brands like Gap, Pacsun, and American Eagle, how can an all-American, timeless brand like Levi’s speak to a younger audience?

THE INSIGHT

As athleisure and trend-driven fashion dominate everyday Gen Z style, Levi’s faces competition from both fast-fashion competitors and premium denim brands, creating a relevance gap in the middle of the market. In response, the brand must modernize its perception and sustain relevance without abandoning its core identity.

As such, Levi’s must leverage Gen Z’s values of individuality, DIY culture, sustainability (seen through thrift stores and online platforms like Depop), and a general trend toward customization.

THE SOLUTION

Repositioning Levi’s from being a heritage denim manufacturer to serving as a creative outlet for storytelling, sustainability, and representation. How? Building a 3-part campaign that helps rebrand Levi’s as a canvas and platform for self-expression, in line with Gen Z’s inclination toward thrifting and personalizing their clothes. The main goal is to drive in-store traffic, increase customization purchases, boost social engagement, and strengthen Levi's’ sustainability perception.

Phase 1. Make Them Yours

Objective: Draw attention to and reposition the brand for Gen Z audiences through short-form content on social media channels like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. 

The core message with this campaign is to emphasize that Levi’s is a canvas that can be repurposed into something more personal and impactful, and this phase is the start of signaling a cultural reset, and sparking curiosity and conversation on and off social media.

Phase 2. My Levi’s Story

Objective: Lean into storytelling. Every week, the Levi’s social media accounts and website will highlight one short 20-30 second profile on how they’ve used their jeans to stay connected to a cause they value—like sustainability, identity, or using jeans to make art and build a living during the pandemic.

The core idea at this stage is to contribute to the campaign’s goal of self-expression by highlighting real, human voices and stories, highlighting how Levi’s is almost a part of people’s individual history.

Phase 3. Denim Labs

Objective: Tie everything together; increase awareness, conversation, and physical engagement. Select Levi’s stores will transform into new Denim Labs with their own iconic visual identity, sewing machines, drawers of patches curated by local artists, paints, and a repair station—all culminating in creating a shared space for people to come together and personalize their denim. There will be mirrors on the walls with #MyLevisMyWay and #MakeThemYours where people can take pictures of their work and post it on social media. These Denim Labs could expand into offering free basic embroidery lessons, and even a limited-edition customizable version of the iconic red tab—combining both the iconic past while paving way for a new generation to make it their own and give something iconic a new meaning. Online, the landing page of the Levi’s website will change to include a gallery of people’s artwork in the Denim Labs and a score of how they are contributing toward sustainability.