Levi Strauss & Co. is getting customers around the world moving to the beat with "The Floor Is Yours", the iconic denim brand's first major global marketing push under new Chief Marketing Officer Kenneth Mitchell
As reported by Ad Age, the 60-second anchor film for the campaign shows a group of friends feeling inspired to break out their own dance moves after seeing a dance routine on TV. The spot aims to capture the "doer" spirit of the Levi's brand and use dance as a metaphor for progress and movement.
"We did a fair amount of work trying to reveal the heart and spirit of the brand and we landed on the idea that Levi's is the unofficial uniform of progress," Mitchell told Ad Age. "That doer mentality has long been associated with the Levi's brand."
The campaign marks the debut work for Levi's from new creative agency partner TBWA\Chiat\Day, which won the brand's creative and social media duties last year following a competitive review. TBWA is expected to produce more marketing for Levi's throughout 2024 and 2025.
In addition to the hero film set to an unreleased track from Kaytranada featuring Channel Tres, "The Floor Is Yours" will invite fans to submit videos of themselves dancing on TikTok, Instagram or Levi's website for a chance to be cast in Kaytranada's official music video, which will double as long-form branded content. About half a dozen customers will be selected and flown out for the video shoot.
"It gives fans a chance to express themselves and show how they live in Levi's," Mitchell explained to Ad Age. "It's symbolic of current marketing as it connects with customers on whichever platforms they may be on."
The integrated campaign includes 30-second cut-downs of the primary video running on broadcast, streaming and online video platforms. There is also a robust social media element with creator and influencer support, out-of-home, print and other promotional extensions.
While the investment was not disclosed, the budget is on par with Levi's previous major brand pushes according to Mitchell. Media duties were split between UM (U.S./Americas) and OMD (Europe/Asia).
The dance-focused direction connects to Levi's long-running "Live in Levi's" platform that has existed for over a decade. It represents Mitchell's first major brand reactivation since joining Levi's as CMO nine months ago from Embroidme.com.
The new work comes on the heels of Levi's reporting a 3% rise in revenue to $1.6 billion for Q4 2023, fueled by growth in its direct-to-consumer and e-commerce businesses. Industry veteran Michelle Gass also recently took over as CEO after long-time chief Chip Bergh's departure.
With "The Floor Is Yours", Levi's is aiming to inspire consumer expression and lean into the massive cultural trend of dance content flourishing across social platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. It remains to be seen if the brand can successfully ride that wave and get customers moving.
Sources: "Behind Levi's First Major Brand Campaign Under Its New CMO" (Ad Age) "Levi Strauss & Co. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2023 Results" (Company Press Release)