We have all seen our share of depressing and heavy advertisements that use gloomy, discouraging photos and backdrops to captivate the emotions of its audience. Braddock, a small town in Pennsylvania would instantly portray that very perception.
The run down landscape of deserted houses, boarded-up storefronts and obliterated street ways would be seen as the perfect scenery for an ad about family welfare or extreme poverty. However, Levi Strauss & co. uses Braddock as the main location and principle in their new campaign ad, emphasizing an era of unemployment and economic recession. The way brands are positioning themselves is continuously expanding, as they are developing new and extreme methods to occupy a status in the consumers mind, grabbing a “slice of the overall market sized pizza.”
Ads for clothing typically promote an attractive component of the brand that will entice the buyer such as style, quality, price or practicality. However, Levi’s Brand has succeeded in making a point of difference in their marketing, engaging its target through morals and values. The purpose of their campaign is to promote their brand by selling the story of Braddock and its people. Citizens will be illustrated as the hard workers of American, rolling up their denim sleeves to build a new life for their town.
I find this a strong marketing strategic for Levis, as they are the first brand to position themselves in consumer’s minds using real world issues to relate to their buyers. We can’t all look like Paris Hilton in the new stretch True Religion Jeans or Gisele Bundchen in the new line of Victoria Secret lingerie. This being said I respect and admire Levis focus on advertising as this can relate to not only Braddock but also the entire declining economy; they have certainly positioned themselves first in the mind of the buyer, the buyer being myself!