Clothes retailing is a competitive industry and many high-end brand names and designers often use gay people and images to set themselves apart as cool, hip and current. Legendary clothing manufacturer Levi’s is now joining the fray (again) with a new ad campaign for its jeans that features an alternate gay-specific ending to an ad about a man trying on jeans and learning that putting the jeans on makes him instantly attractive to the opposite sex. In the alternate "gay" ending to the ad, the guy trying on jeans attracts another man and they walk off together at the end of the commercial. I’ve watched the ad and I like it – it’s the kind of funny, memorable and unapologetically gay imagery that is required to really connect with gay consumers in advertising.
But whether the ad campaign leads to an increase in sales and increased recognition of Levi’s as hip and cool among gay audiences remains to be seen. To me, the real key will be what else Levi’s does to reach out to our community. Will they leverage their excellent reputation and long record of support for gay and lesbian issues to really engage our community? Will they take additional steps to be active and connected with gay and lesbian organizations, events and other community-building opportunities? The ad is great, but to have a lasting impact on sales and reputation, the ad should be the place they start, not an end in and of itself.
What do you think? Watch the ad here (on the Commercial Closet Association Web site) and give us your comments on the ad and what you think Levi’s should do next to engage the gay and lesbian community.
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