Unbutton your beast - Levi's unleashes creepiest ad campaign ever
Filed under: Style in the News, Jeans, Men
Is this Levi's ad campaign for real? Or is it part of an underground October Fool's Day movement that we're not aware of? In order to promote their 501 jeans -- a style that probably doesn't even need an ad campaign because it's such a staple of the American wardrobe -- Levi's has decided to whip out an e-card marketing program that's so shocking and tasteless, it's hard to believe. So how does it work? You send a friend an email, in which a beast pops out of a pair of 501s and starts talking. Brilliant, no?
Usually, we're all about clever innuendo, subtle phallic references -- you name it, we'll laugh at it. But this new ad campaign for Levi's 501s displays little or none of that. It's a straight-up, in your face penis joke that is so lacking in nuance, it makes you want to cringe. Kinda like that movie Teeth scarred us for life -- or at least a couple of hours -- this campaign for Levi's might actually be turning us off to one of the most classic and endearing styles of denim the world has ever known. Keep it in your pants, marketing team.
OK... maybe we'll send it to a couple of friends -- but that's all. We swear.
WILLIAM E. RAWLINSON 10-01-2008 @ 9:49PM
No more Levi's for me - and I really like to Levi blue jeans. But Levi is not the only player in town.
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KEB 10-02-2008 @ 9:17AM
Is the 501 REALLY still a staple, like the article states? I never see people in them anymore. They look so dated with their high waists. Guys look kind of weird in them and girls don't look so good either.
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Annie Scott 10-02-2008 @ 12:03PM
Is this our first post tagged Pants Monster? Well. It's about time.
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Susan 10-02-2008 @ 11:35PM
Tacky, really lacking in being original when you come right down to it. I would hope the targeted buying audience might actually find it degrading and juvenile in nature.
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Luke 10-04-2008 @ 3:27PM
Rawlinson is right. This campaign is so disgusting and offensive that I will never buy a Levi's product again. Ever. If the culture is going to sink to these levels, it will not be with my support.
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jackson 10-04-2008 @ 9:45PM
Completely disappointed and disgusted-this is def a new low!
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Momof5 10-05-2008 @ 12:05PM
I sent an e-mail to them and received this response:
We appreciate your comments about our "Unbutton Your Beast" digital initiative.
We try hard to connect in meaningful ways with the enormously diverse range of people who wear our jeans. Sometimes, we miss the mark and sincerely apologize if you feel this is one of those times.
Thanks again for letting us know your comments and concerns. We will definitely pass them on to our marketing and advertising colleagues who pay close attention to consumer feedback.
Huh? Meaningful ways? Were you trying to connect with pedophiles and perverts? Cause I'm pretty sure they're the ones you connected with. As a mother with 5 kids, I won't be buying their products unless they pull the ads and apologize for being idiots.
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jackson 10-04-2008 @ 9:57PM
E-mailed and received the same rote response. I believe thats called being blown off. Done with Levi's.
levirocks! 10-07-2008 @ 11:10PM
FUNNY!!!!
LEVI ROCKS!!!!!
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J J 10-08-2008 @ 11:18PM
One of the most disgusting ads I have ever seen .Have bought levis for years but if this is who they are it is no more for me.
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dawn 10-10-2008 @ 2:45PM
Who fucken cares?! You're all a bunch of prudes w/ no sense of humor or life. It's just a commercial. Get over it!
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dusk 10-10-2008 @ 3:47PM
Apparently you "fucken" care. If it wasn't such a big deal to you, then why did you respond so aggressively?
Tami 10-11-2008 @ 6:53PM
That's what we said when Madonna was showing her belly button now look at what we have become.
Michael Rowe 10-11-2008 @ 2:41PM
Right, Chanesaw, Levis will go out of business because of this ad. Because, as we all know, sex kills advertising and never sells.
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Dee 10-11-2008 @ 3:28PM
It's just an ad. I think it's dumb but if something that minor offends you then it's your right to boycott the product. There are a lot more serious issues that should rock your boat. Lighten up, it's just an ad. Don't worry, Levi's will make it up to you!
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Amy 10-11-2008 @ 3:36PM
It amazes me what dumbshit people get offened by. Let's get all pissy over some stupid ad, and not worry about the real problems in the world. I swear the U.S. is the most uptight, anal place. And yes I am American, and U.S. born, get a grip people and get a life. And don't take dumbshit so serious!!!!
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Clara 10-11-2008 @ 5:25PM
Sir Reginald: "My sword may be tiny, but my poke is MIGHTY!" Lol. Awesome.
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Tami 10-11-2008 @ 6:59PM
What country do you live in and how many times has America come to it's aid? You are so worried about everyone getting so upset about an ad that offends them yet you are just as upset that they have that opinion. Who needs to het the life? I noticed your responses were about 20 minutes apart how long have you been dwelling on this?
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Michael Rowe 10-11-2008 @ 8:13PM
Maybe the dialup in your trailer is giving you incorrect time. Do you have fetal alcohol syndrome, or is there another reason your brain can't process the difference between "worry" and contempt? As for America coming to anyone's aid, America comes to AMERICA'S aid, not anyone else's. Remember WW2? You waited two years to get into it, then only got into it when someone attacked you, so get off this tired, "Oh, America comes to your aid, blah, blah, blah." Tell it to the 100,000-plus dead Iraqis you murdered with your illegal invasion.
Perhaps if you hadn't had a typical American white-trash non-education, you'd know a little bit of world history instead of getting your information from FOX News and moronic right-wing radio hosts. But thanks for making my point so well, which is that this nation of morons worries more about the "free speech" to be offended by an ad for blue jeans (or offended by the ad for blue jeans itself) than knowing its own history.
Tami 10-12-2008 @ 12:34AM
WOW! You feel such contempt for America yet still feel American's are worth your opinion about their views of a jean ad. I noticed you still did not reveal what glorious country you are from. Did you not feel us worthy of that knowledge or are you just embarassed of what history would say America has done for your beloved country. How many of our jobs have been outsourced to your neighborhood. When I look at the label of the pajamas I sleep in tonight will they tell me where you are from? How many American's do you actually know that you can say how educated we are and when I say American's I mean people that were actually born here and not the millions who flock here looking for a better life here because we are that terrible. Not all american's believe in the way we invaded Iraq, but I will ask you, how many Iraqi's would be dead today had Saddam still been running the country? How many Iraqi's have you talked to that have said they still wish he was ruling the country? And before you ask me what I know of it I will tell you that my husband is a Chief in the United States Navy and has sacraficed more than I am sure you will ever know so that we can try to give the Iraqi people what we believe EVERYONE should have FREEDOM!! That may be hard for you to believe from wherever it is you are from, but if you actually took the time to REALLY get to know what America is about you would know we care about the rights of others. We care that if an ad is offensive to us we have the FREEDOM to voice that opinion. Just as a lot of us have voiced our opinion about how the war was started. And we did not go into it alone. History is just that History voicing an opinion about how an ad makes us feel or influences our children is one way that we can shape our future. Why do you feel such contempt for that?