Levi Strauss Creating Brand Equity
Levi Strauss: Creating Brand Equity
1. Analyze the Dockers communications strategy at the time of the launch. How did it fit with past Levi’s advertising efforts? How did it contribute to brand equity?
Throughout the years, LS&Co. developed a brand reputation of being durable, high quality and reliable. In the 1950s, product placement of teen idol James Dean made Levi jeans an “essential fashion among the emerging baby boomer generation.” By 1989, the baby boomer demographic (25 - 49) were maturing and seeking a new alternative to their existing jeans. LS&Co. designed a “new casual” appeal that would satisfy the fashion demand for this generation: “casual and comfortable, yet stylish; the right pant for a variety of occasions.” (Keller, p7) The launch of LS&Co.’s newest product, Dockers, topped $1 billion. From the beginning, Dockers communication brand strategy was establishing a new casual line that can leverage the LS&Co.’s brand. Their goal was to attract new customers while retaining the existing loyal baby boomer customers. Levi mailed out 40,000 letters to major HR corporations suggesting a new way to dress at work. “According to the company, 19% of the corporations that received the newsletter responded, including 81 of the Fortune 100 companies.” (Keller, p12) LS&Co. developed another fashion trend to work in casual clothes. Docker’s advertising strategy educated their audience on the new pants and generated awareness for this new category. “The advertising challenge was to build product and brand awareness for Levi Dockers so that they would be seen as an unpretentious alternative to traditional dressing for almost every occasion.” (Keller, p10) Focus groups were used to support their ads. Docker’s ads took on an emotional, realism approach. Ads would feature an everyday baby boomer enjoying a relaxing golf outing and being in the company of friends, all while wearing his 100% cotton Dockers. Both LS&Co.’s past strategy and Dockers
1. Analyze the Dockers communications strategy at the time of the launch. How did it fit with past Levi’s advertising efforts? How did it contribute to brand equity?
Throughout the years, LS&Co. developed a brand reputation of being durable, high quality and reliable. In the 1950s, product placement of teen idol James Dean made Levi jeans an “essential fashion among the emerging baby boomer generation.” By 1989, the baby boomer demographic (25 - 49) were maturing and seeking a new alternative to their existing jeans. LS&Co. designed a “new casual” appeal that would satisfy the fashion demand for this generation: “casual and comfortable, yet stylish; the right pant for a variety of occasions.” (Keller, p7) The launch of LS&Co.’s newest product, Dockers, topped $1 billion. From the beginning, Dockers communication brand strategy was establishing a new casual line that can leverage the LS&Co.’s brand. Their goal was to attract new customers while retaining the existing loyal baby boomer customers. Levi mailed out 40,000 letters to major HR corporations suggesting a new way to dress at work. “According to the company, 19% of the corporations that received the newsletter responded, including 81 of the Fortune 100 companies.” (Keller, p12) LS&Co. developed another fashion trend to work in casual clothes. Docker’s advertising strategy educated their audience on the new pants and generated awareness for this new category. “The advertising challenge was to build product and brand awareness for Levi Dockers so that they would be seen as an unpretentious alternative to traditional dressing for almost every occasion.” (Keller, p10) Focus groups were used to support their ads. Docker’s ads took on an emotional, realism approach. Ads would feature an everyday baby boomer enjoying a relaxing golf outing and being in the company of friends, all while wearing his 100% cotton Dockers. Both LS&Co.’s past strategy and Dockers
References: Keller, Kevin Lane. (2003). Lessons from the World’s Strongest Brands. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.