Levi's Originals support Indian artists in Karachi

KARACHI:


Following the corporate/artist sponsorship model that has proven effective with Coke Studio, on May 30 Levis Pakistan debuted Zoe Viccaji’s acapella interpretation of the Strings hit, “Bichara Yaar”, on CityFM’s Breakfast Show.
“Levis Originals: Inspire is about how Strings are the originals and Zoe and Bilal are inspired by the originals,” said Adnan Malik, creator and executive producer of the campaign. “Levis wanted a twist on a photoshoot with Strings, but I thought they should give the stars of tomorrow a platform. The mainstream artists have done so many campaigns already, why do we want to keep seeing the same people?”

In the case of Coke Studio, promoting independent artists has translated to direct market gain. In recent years, Pakistan has become entrenched among Coca Cola’s 15 fastest-growing global markets. And for Pakistani artists who can’t access the-incidentally, dying-giant labels of the west, it’s a viable means of funding and distribution.

“Music is something I do for me, whether or not I make money out of it,” said Bilal Khan, 24, a veteran of Coke Studio and another Levis artist. “Levis is a cool brand, I wear it anyway. So I’m promoting something I believe in. Really this is just another way for me to make music.”
Levis’s one year agreement with Viccaji and Khan grants the company promotional rights not only to the songs produced for the campaign, but to the use of artists’ images and bios. To that end, they agree to appear at specific events in a Levis-funded, Levis-branded wardrobe. But Viccaji, 27, is happy with the partnership because it offers her “complete artistic freedom, the access to recording equipment beyond a home studio” and she hopes, a stepping stone from which to launch her career. “It’s a win-win situation,” she said.

Whenever Viccaji records a new song, she has qualms about sharing it, even with friends. “There’s a sense of vulnerability, because you know someone’s going to find some issue with it. But with ‘Bichara Yaar’, no one has had anything bad to say about it. Maybe that’s because acapella is such an anomaly in Pakistan that people are too mystified to criticise it. Or maybe that’s because it’s actually good.”
Malik directed the video for “Bichara Yaar”, which was shot in the same abandoned factory used for the print campaign photos. “The energy of the old factory worked with the loneliness of the song and the idea of a past life. It’s a bit existentialist, thinking of how we’re alone in life and in death,” he said.

The video was released on YouTube and promoted on Facebook, ironically echoing the grassroots marketing and distribution methods Viccaji would have used without corporate sponsorship. Both Viccaji and Khan worked in advertising before quitting their day jobs to concentrate on music.

“I really wanted to show the process of acapella from a visual standpoint,” said Malik. “I don’t think that’s been done before in Pakistan, at least not in a music video element. There’s this idea of layers that began to haunt me. I kept imagining Zoe alone in a dark space, as if she was looking for something. Then suddenly there’d be four or five of her, as if she’s keeping herself company.”

The nuts and bolts of the campaign are nebulous and erratic for corporate marketing. In fact, Malik was originally approached to model for Levis. From this inauspicious opening, Malik sold Levis on a new marketing concept, and then convinced them to put him in charge.

But the ambience of The Originals: Inspire campaign parallels the global brand that Levis projects, falling in line behind the likes of last year’s “Go Forth” campaign, which drew heavily on the words of Walt Whitman, the “father of American poetry”, and the idea of Levis-the-pioneer, the first makers of blue jeans. Now Levis is promoting the pioneering musicians of Pakistan. Internationally acclaimed Strings have been together in some form for 23 years, and Bilal Khan is a new pioneer of the online era, spearheading his career with the help of YouTube and a video camera.



“I recorded the first version of ‘Bachana’ in my bedroom, and posted it on YouTube,” Khan said. “When it had 100,000 hits, I realised I needed to make a proper music video. The new version has over a million hits.” Khan plans to self-release his first album next month. As for Khan for Levis, his Strings interpretation is being kept under wraps, but it will be released June 10 on CityFM.


Published in The Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2011.

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Marketing the Levi's way

Jeans are 138 Years old today

Happy 138th, Blue Jeans!

NEW YORK, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue jeans, the ubiquitous cotton denim trouser, is 138-years-young today. On May 20, 1873, Levi Strauss and Nevada tailor Jacob Davis were granted U.S. Patent Number 139,121 for their use of rivets to add strength to denim workpants. Over a century later, blue jeans continue to rivet consumers and designers around the world. Today, U.S. consumers own an average of 7 pairs of denim jeans, according the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™ survey, and the appeal of denim jeans shows no signs of going out of vogue.

What began as workwear during the California gold Rush has evolved into a workhorse for the apparel industry; with current price points ranging from around $10.00, to upwards of $10,000.00 for a pair of custom-designed denim jeans. The 2011 global denim industry is an estimated $54 billion at retail, with demand growing steadily at 5% to 6%, according to a report by the ATA Journal for Asia on Textiles and Apparel.

Responses to the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor survey show that consumers are true-blue in their dedication to denim. "According to responses to our most recent survey, over three-quarters of consumers love or enjoy wearing denim," says Melissa Bastos, Manager, Market Research at Cotton Incorporated. "For women 13-to-34, that number jumps to 81%," she adds.
Additional statistics on denim and a range of other consumer and industry categories can be found at www.cottonlifestylemonitor.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF DENIM'S FASHION EVOLUTION:

1930s

Work, war and film were influential in shaping the shape of women's trouser-wearing. In the 1939 film, The Women, Manhattan socialites visit a dude ranch, in full, high-waisted, stiff-denimed dungarees. Vogue and Mademoiselle both deemed denim appropriate for dude ranching and Levi's had already jumped onto the trend with their short-lived Lady Levi's line in 1935. But jeans were less a fashion statement and more a costume of Western color.

1940s

During World War II, Rosie the Riveter was an icon representing women who took up the labor slack while men were fighting overseas. In 1943, a then-unknown model named Betty Bacall modeled Rosie's signature denim coveralls on the cover of Harper's Bazaar.Perhaps influenced by Rosie, Wellesley College students felt the freedom to wear blue jeans on campus in 1944. But, then a "scandalous" photo of denim clad Wellesley Girls appeared in an issue of Life magazine. Dubbed "the sloppy look," it created a national stir and set ladies jeans-wearing back a good decade.

1950s

In 1954, Grace Kelly reclined on a sofa in Hitchcock's "Rear Window," wearing a pair of jeans and reading an attire-appropriate book about traveling in the Himalayas. As Jimmy Stewart dozes off, Kelly discards the book and switches to the latest issue of Bazaar, making a silent but powerful connection between fashion and denim.

Thanks to "The Wild One" (1953) and "Rebel Without A Cause" (1955), a pervasive association with blue jeans and juvenile delinquency had entered the public consciousness. Thanks James Dean and Marlon Brando! So widespread was the detrimental denim mindset, that the Denim Council was formed in 1956 to combat declining sales.

1960s
Denim pants are dubbed "jeans" by the Baby Boomer generation. The name has its origins in the French phrase bleu de Genes (literally, "blue of Genoa"), and harks back to the first known uses of denim pants – as a uniform for Genoese sailors.
In 1961, the Denim Council's efforts paid off with a major public relations coup: the newly-formed Peace Corps allowed its first 200 volunteers to wear jeans. This ushered in a new era across the board. It was a brave new world of positive revolution, rock-and-roll and, to bring the topic full circle, women's rights.
1970s
When Vogue featured blue jeans on their cover in the early 1970s, denim received its official sartorial sanction.
1980s
In 1988, as Anna Wintour picked up the reins as Editor of Vogue, her very first cover featured a young model wearing a $10,000 Christian Lacroix shirt matched with a pair of Guess (?) blue jeans. The message conveyed was that jeans can hold their own in the world of high fashion.

SOURCE Cotton Incorporated

Ann Rohosy is new VP and President of Docker' brand

Levi Strauss & Co has promoted Anne Rohosy as executive vice president and president of its global Dockers brand, tasking her with all product, marketing and business operations.She reports to Levi Strauss president and CEO John Anderson, and moves into the role after two years as a senior vice president, overseeing Levi's brand commercial wholesale operations in the Americas. Prior to joining the San Francisco based company she spent 15 years with Nike.
"With more than 20 years of US and international retail experience, Anne has the leadership and strategic expertise to drive Dockers forward and continue the brand's momentum in revitalising the khaki category," Anderson said."Anne is well-known in the retail industry for her strong business sense and tremendous relationships with retailers, making her the ideal choice to lead the Dockers brand during this exciting time." Dockers products are sold in more than 50 countries around the world across a variety of stores, ranging from Macy's and Kohl's to Barney's and Urban Outfitters.

Levi's Healthcare line

The link that follows will take you to some very professional student work which promotes the idea and branding for a healthcare line for men with the Levi's flair.

http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2011/5/12/student-spotlight-levis-strauss-co-mens-healthcare-line.html

Levi's Makes it terms of engagement with its supply chain specific

Levi's involved in first paperless coupon

Platform SCVNGR has teamed up with American Express and Levi’s to create the first paperless daily deal redemption system. If you’ve ever purchased a Groupon or LivingSocial daily deal, you’ve probably gone through the awkward process of redeeming your coupon. You have to print out the daily deal, remember to bring the printout with you and give it to the cashier, who may or may not be trained on how to redeem it. Plus, pulling out a coupon isn’t necessarily something you want to do on a date.

SCVNGR and American Express believe that they have found the solution. Starting today, SCVNGR’s daily deal platform LevelUp now features an option to sync your LevelUp account to your AmEx card. Once synced, all you need to do to redeem the daily deals you purchase through LevelUp is swipe your card. There’s no need to bring a coupon with you. You don’t even have to tell the cashier that you bought a daily deal coupon. AmEx automatically tracks and credits your deal. AmEx Vice President of Gobal Marketing Capabilities David Wolf says the LevelUp integration is powered by AmEx’s Smart Offer Engine, the same platform that powered Foursquare’s “spend $5, save $5″ pilot program at SXSW.

AmEx links to LevelUp’s APIs so that you don’t have to think about redeeming your daily deal. It’s automatically done for you when you swipe your card at the store.The pilot program launches today in San Francisco with Levi’s. Users that purchase daily deals from Levi’s through LevelUp will automatically get their discounts when they use their AmEx card at the Levi’s store in Union Square.

LevelUp differs from Groupon, LivingSocial and other daily deal sites through its use of game mechanics to increase customer loyalty. Every time you purchase and use a daily deal on LevelUp, you have the option to buy another daily deal from the same brand. In the case of Levi’s, level one gets you $10 of merchandise for $20, level two gets you $10 of merchandise for $30 and level three gets you $10 of merchandise for $50.

Doug Sweeny Leaves Levis

Doug Sweeny is departing his post as VP-global marketing at Levi Strauss & Co. to become president of WPP-owned agency Y&R's West Coast operations. Mr. Sweeny will oversee the network's San Francisco and Irvine offices in tandem with Y&R West's new chief creative officer, Joe Kayser.

Doug Sweeny The move marks a return for Mr. Sweeny to the agency world, and a reunion for him and Mr. Kayser, who were previously partners at Omnicom Group's TBWA/Chiat/Day in San Francisco. There they ran the global business for Adidas. Previously, he was an account director working on Saturn at Publicis Groupe's Hal Riney in San Francisco. "We had a great partnership, and we worked well together and complemented each other really well," Mr. Sweeny said of working with Mr. Kayser. He attributes the opportunity to work with him again and improvements in Y&R's creative product as his reasons for making the jump from Levi's.

For the past four years, Mr. Sweeny helped lead global marketing for the retailer, where he was behind the global "Go Forth" campaign. He plans to wrap up at Levi's, which spends an estimated $100 million globally on advertising, within the next couple of weeks and start at Y&R in early June. Mr. Sweeny replaces John Berg, who departed his post as Y&R West president in March. "The very first conversation Joe and I had about who would be a suitable partner for our West Coast business ... he mentioned Doug, and I had Doug at the top of my list as well," said Tom Sebok, president-CEO of Y&R North America.

The installation of new management in the office is part of a goal to elevate Y&R's presence on the West Coast. "Overall our agency needs a far greater degree of visibility than it has today," Mr. Sebok said. Clients handled by that office include Chevron, Mattel, Jenny Craig Disney, and Citrix. More broadly, the agency network -- which has been suffering the loss of a slew of clients in the agency's New York office -- has been making management changes, like bringing in new CEO David Sable and New York Chief Creative Officer Jim Elliott from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.

Levi's didn't immediately return a request for comment about Mr. Sweeny's departure. The marketer is going through changes of its own, including the launch of its first global ad campaign later this year, and a restructuring of its marketing operation that has brought on new new Global Chief Marketing Officer Rebecca Van Dyck. It remains to be seen whether the arrival of Ms. Van Dyck and the departure of Ms. Sweeny will have any affect on Levi's agency relationships, which include Wieden & Kennedy and OMD leading global creative and media respectively.

TED talk sponsored by Levis

Levi's and the Like button

Facebook's 'Like' button becomes force in e-commerce


By Mike mailto:Swift-mswift@mercurynews.com

Whether you just bought an airline ticket or a pair of jeans online, chances are an Internet search preceded the transaction. Now Facebook hopes to make its vast web of online social connections another central ingredient in the complicated dance between retailer and consumer.
One year after Facebook began distributing its "Like" button to millions of websites -- an average of 10,000 additional websites a day add the button or other Facebook tools -- the Palo Alto social network says it is becoming a force in online commerce. Facebook points to partnerships with companies like Levi's, which has a Facebook Like button positioned next to every article of clothing on Levi.com, and Ticketmaster, whose website includes a Facebook app that lets people see whether their friends have already bought a ticket to concerts they are interested in attending.

Just as people have always talked to their friends before making a significant purchase, "your mode of discovery online is starting to look more like your mode of discovery offline," said Dan Rose, a former Amazon.com executive who is vice president of partnerships and platform marketing at Facebook.

Facebook and Ticketmaster say that when the ticket retailers' customers post a specific event they are attending or might attend to their friends' Facebook News Feed, it generates $5.30 of direct ticket sales.

Meanwhile, a forthcoming  report from Harris Interactive and CityGrid Media will say that the Like button is already trumping reviews on websites such as Yelp as the primary way that people show support for businesses online.Facebook took another major e-commerce step Tuesday when it rolled out a trial "Deals" service in the Bay Area and four other U.S. cities to compete with Groupon and other online discount deal websites. The Like button is a prominent feature.

Still, some skeptics say the Like button won't ever become the mainstay of e-commerce that search is. A recent survey of online retailers by the market research firm Forrester found that 59 percent said the returns from social marketing remain unclear, while just 28 percent said social marketing strategies had helped their business grow.
"The problem is the fundamental flaw of this whole expectation. People think that shopping is social, because teenagers go to the mall in groups," said Sucharita Mulpuru, the Forrester analyst who wrote the recent skeptical report about Facebook's future in e-commerce. "But most shopping is not social. People don't go to Walmart in groups. They don't go to the grocery store in groups."

While Mulpuru says there are niches where Facebook can become a major force in e-commerce -- ticketing for example, because concerts, baseball games and other events are inherently social -- those successes will be the exception rather than the rule.

Facebook, she said, has already had enough time to prove its assertion that it will someday produce a Zynga of retail, referring to the San Francisco social game-maker that grew into a multibillion-dollar company through its association with the social network.
"At some point, you've got to show people the money," Mulpuru said.

Facebook and its partners counter that consumers who arrive on the websites of retailers, media sites and other Facebook partners are more deeply engaged. For example, people clicking on clothing retailer American Eagle from Facebook spent an average 57 percent more money than people who arrived on the website through other means, such as a Google (GOOG) search, while Rose said people who arrive on newspaper and other media websites via a link shared on Facebook are more likely to read to the end of an article.

Facebook celebrated the first anniversary of its distribution of the Like button to other websites on April 21. Facebook declined to update an earlier count of 2.5 million websites using the Like button and other social applications, such as the ability to login to a website using Facebook credentials. But an average of 10,000 websites a day in the past year connecting to Facebook would mean the Like button and other Facebook tools are now on more than 3.5 million websites.

Mulpuru says that for most retailers, Facebook will be most important in making consumers more aware of a brand, rather than driving actual sales, and some retailers, including Levi's, say that is how they are using Facebook at this point.


"We really feel like it is attracting a new consumer to Levi.com," particularly younger and more "fashion-forward" consumers, said Megan O'Connor, director of digital and social marketing for Levi's. For example, the company's new "Ex-Girlfriend Jeans" -- super skinny jeans for men -- got 4,000 Facebook likes on the first day the jeans went on sale.

"We believe it will drive sales, " O'Connor said of the Like button. "We are really looking at it as a way for consumers to interact with the brand, to tell their friends about the brand, and really get the word out about what Levi's is passionate about."

Contact Mike Swift at 408-271-3648. Follow him at Twitter.com/swiftstories.

Kate Middleton and the Levi's guy

 “He wishes. No, I had the Levi's guy on my wall, not a picture of William, sorry.”—Kate Middleton, when asked if she had posters of William on her wall when she was growing up.

Street Artists to design Levi's Trucker jackets

Shepard Fairey’s OBEY Giant on a wall or street sign are everywhere in Providence. Soon, the iconic street artist’s work will be featured on a Levi’s Trucker Jacket as part of the Art in the Streets exhibition at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA).

Ten of America's most important and influential street artists were chosen to design limited-edition trucker jackets, with one from each artist being released every two weeks from April 17 to August 6 based on the chronological order in which the artists began posting (with three coming out in the first week). Each jacket will come packaged in a special commemorative box with the artist’s unique “tag” on it. RISD graduate Fairey’s jacket, Dark Summit Trucker, will go on sale on July 2.

"The uniform of graffiti and street artists"

"Our Trucker Jacket has been an integral part of the uniform of graffiti and street artists for generations," said Robert Hanson, Levi's Brand Global President. "This collaborative project is a special way to celebrate the Trucker Jacket's intrinsic tie to the street art community and culture, as well as MOCA's longstanding leadership in the art world."
All proceeds from sales of the jackets will go towards MOCA and the community programs that it supports. Unfortunately, the jackets will only be sold at MOCA in LA, but savvy Rhode Island shoppers (and Fairey collectors) might consider hopping a cheap flight out west to scoop one up.

Levi's New York Photo Workshop

Levi Strauss 2010 Annual report

http://www.levistrauss.com/lsco/ar2010/

Levi Stauss 2010 Annual Report can be found at the above link.

The Levi's Film workshop in LA

Levi's has Eva jeans for South Africa

The Levi's® Slight Curve jeans are designed to celebrate straight figures while the new Demi Curve best suits the even proportioned figure. The Bold Curve is designed to honour genuine curves and in addition, exclusively to South Africa, the Levi's® Eva jeans - inspired by local fit trials for jeans which address unique South African curves.



To promote this revolutionary approach, Levi's® and partner agencies King James, Dare Media and Primall Media introduce the Curve ID campaign to South Africa as part of the Levi's® Global Women's Initiative. Primall's Digital Ad Screens will continue creating awareness around the Curve ID range in 17 of the county's blue chip malls where Primall holds advertising rights. According to Primall, the campaign is aimed at gaining exposure to women aged 16 to 24 years of age in the LSM 7 - 10 categories.

Primall's Executive Head of Sales and Marketing, Lee Curtis, says, "On the back of the renewal, it's clear that our Digital Ad Screens have increased awareness for the range. It's a natural fit for Levi to promote their campaign in an environment where women spend their time on money and fashion."

Levis and Opening Ceremony

Have you heard of Opening Ceremony?


The American fashion label, created by best-friends-since-college Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, has been featured in magazines such as Vogue and People. The pair designs clothes — often in collaboration with other famous people and labels, including Chloë Sevigny, Repetto, agnés b., Pendleton and Rodarte — that they sell in their Opening Ceremony stores in New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo.
“Every collaboration always started off with a personal experience or story,” says Ms. Lim. “We decided to do something with Levi’s because it’s hard to be American and not have a pair of vintage Levi’s jeans.” Their spring collection of “Levi’s for OC” pays homage to the chambray fabric.

Levi Strauss price cuts lead to lower first-quarter profit

The retailer reported earning $40.7 million in the quarter that ended Feb. 27, down 28% from a year earlier, after slashing prices on its jeans and Dockers khaki pants.

Levi Strauss & Co. reported a lower quarterly profit after cutting prices on its Dockers khaki pants and Levi's jeans to spur sales.Shoppers' resistance to paying full price comes at a time when Levi Strauss and rivals such as Guess Inc. are trying to pass on high cotton costs to customers.

"You're not going to see dramatically lower cotton prices in the next six to 12 months," Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen said. Jorgensen said rising gasoline prices are also feeding consumer resistance, particularly for shoppers with modest incomes.The private company said that first-quarter net income was $40.7 million, down 28% from $56.4 million a year earlier.Gross margin was down 1.7 percentage points to 49.8% of revenue during the holiday quarter on more discounting that Jorgensen attributed to the need "to be fairly aggressive" in generating sales and clearing inventory to make room for spring merchandise.

Levi said it also faces more cautious ordering from department store chains such as Macy's Inc., J.C. Penney Co. and Kohl's Corp., echoing concerns expressed by Guess when it reported results in March.
Jorgensen recognized that the discounts on Dockers show that Levi Strauss still has a way to go in its effort to reinvent that line of pants.
"The battle with Dockers is we're trying to reignite a category that went stale," Jorgensen said. Revenue, including sales and licensing revenues, rose 8.3% to $1.12 billion during the quarter that ended Feb. 27, helped by a surge in sales in Asia and improving wholesale business in the United States.

In the Americas region, where Levi Strauss gets half its business, revenue rose 9%

WildTangent and Levi's

WildTangent announced today its partnership with the Levi's® brand by bringing the Levi's® Curve ID product to a unique new world of shoppers: virtual shoppers playing the popular Facebook game, Mall World. Through WildTangent's collaboration with the Levi's® brand it brings its proprietary ad platform BrandBoost to Mall World. "Shoppers" can earn coveted in-game items by engaging in a Levi's® virtual fit experience to find their perfect, custom fitting Levi's® Curve ID jeans. Players can also earn a pair of virtual Levi's® Curve ID jeans by exploring a new, virtual Levi's® retail store within the social game.




More than six million women and girls play Mall World each month on Facebook. In the game, enterprising types can run their own fashion boutique while fashion-forward trendsetters can shop to their heart's content. In Mall World, WildTangent brings to life Levi's® Curve ID custom fit system that is based on shape and not size by leveraging game developer 50cubes ability to integrate the brand's "Digital Fitting Room" into the game.



WildTangent's BrandBoost platform enables brands to sponsor access to additional playing time or virtual goods that players would otherwise have to pay for. The platform also makes possible the dynamic delivery of branded virtual goods into social games on Facebook. BrandBoost supports third-party ad serving and reporting as well as creative formats ranging from long-form video to social engagement activities.



About WildTangent

WildTangent operates a games service that allows consumers around the world to access downloadable, online and social games through one convenient Games App. Fueled by our digital currency, WildCoins, and a proprietary ad platform, BrandBoost, the service delivers the most cost efficient way to play games. Consumers can rent games, purchase them or play for free courtesy of brand advertisers.

WildTangent also powers advertising for a growing portfolio of third-party game developers and publishers enabling brands to reach more than 100 million monthly players with scalable, engagement-based advertising that enhances gameplay for consumers. BrandBoost is available in top social games on Facebook, massively multiplayer games, and premium flash games. Partners include Digital Chocolate, Crowdstar, Playdom, Sony Online Entertainment and DreamWorks.

Levi's offers skin tight jeans for men

You’ve heard of the boyfriend jean.  But how about the ex-girlfriend?
Clearly eager to bring gender equality to denim, Levi’s has unleashed a new style of super-skinny jeans for men -- the "ex-girlfriend," which plays on the popularity of loose-fitting boyfriend jeans for women.
"As skinny as it gets" is how the Levi’s website describes the ex-girlfriends, denims that look dangerously similar to jeggings (leggings styled to look like jeans).
On the label’s blog, the designers of the pants wrote that the jeans were inspired by a rock band they saw at Austin’s South by Southwest music and film festival."It has never been a secret in the denim design world that guys looking to make a statement with an extra-skinny pair of jeans go straight to the girl’s section," wrote the designers, Casey Egan and JeWon Yu.

"We thought, 'Hey, we can make a pair of women’s jeans for men with a tailored and proper fit.'"

That included loosening up the hip and thigh and allowing the waist to sit low.

"They’ve been the biggest seller since we’ve got them in," says regional manager Elle Epp.
Before the new fit, guys who wanted to go skinny had the option of trying unisex jeans by Just USA or Swedish label Cheap Monday, says Epp. The ex-girlfriends, however, "actually do fit men better," she says. "They have a really skinny leg like a women’s skinny jean, but then they have a little bit more wiggle room in the top area to give guys a little more room to move around." Made with two per cent elastane for a touch of stretch, the $95 jeans "look tighter than they actually feel," says Epp. They come in black and indigo blue washes.

"They totally accentuate the chicken legs," says Joel Bojeczko, stepping gingerly out of the Decadence fitting room in a pair of ex-girlfriends. "They’re cool to walk around in. You wouldn’t run and stuff like that in them. But they’re tight," he says with a chuckle. Bojeczko, who belongs to local rock cover band the Huge Fakers, prefers his jeans slim, not skinny, but he gets why the latter are so popular. "A lot of it has to do with the ’80s comeback, right?"

Super-skinnies, he figures, can be traced back to ’80s punk. Fitted jeans, says Epp, are more flattering. "If you wear the right jean, you can look a bit more clean-cut while being casual." And in her opinion, there’s no such thing as too tight. "If they can walk and not look awkward while they’re walking, they’re good to go."

Some guys even find them — yes — more comfortable. "The tighter (the jean), the more like sweatpants they become," says Jared Sager, who wears skinny jeans every day. "They almost become a second skin." While he likes the idea of the exgirlfriend, the 27-year-old claims to never have had to cop a pair of jeans from a girl. All his skinnies are either men’s or unisex jeans."To me, it’s all about confidence," he says. "If you’re going to do it, you have to rock it."

One of the biggest problems with skinnies, notes Bojeczko, is that "you’re kind of limited to the kind of undergarments you can wear. The boxer shorts don’t fly at all with skinny jeans."
Otherwise, the look isn’t so bad, says the 26-year-old.
"I never thought I had the calf definition to pull off skinny jeans. I think I was born with a curse that makes everything look good," he jokes.

But how tight is too tight?

"Well, nobody wants to see a bulge in their face," he says, laughing."If you were on the bus and there was a bulge next to your face, that would be very uncomfortable, right? That wouldn’t be cool.
"But is there a too tight? If the person’s really comfortable and they’re rocking it out, then who cares, right?"

jfong@edmontonjournal.com

 

Eric Baldwin new global creative director for Wieden+Kennedy Levi's account

Eric Baldwin has become Wieden+Kennedy's global creative director for the Levi's account and will partner with Tyler Whisnand on Levi's.  "We can't wait to see what Eric brings to Levi's. He is an impeccable designer and an inspirational leader," commented co-executive creative director Mark Fitzloff.
Bldwin and his team were responsible in 2010 for Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like"  which won the primetime commercial Emmy as well as the prestigious Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. Baldwin and Allen were part of the creative team behind the lauded, popular follow-up Old Spice "Response" interactive campaign.

Baldwin is originally from St. Louis where he worked as a graphic designer before moving to San Francisco to run the design department at Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners. He moved to  Wieden+Kennedy as an art director in 2006, where he has since produced award-winning work for Old Spice, CareerBuilder.com, and EA.

Levi's Cycling jeans

Jeans giant Levi’s launched its Fall 2011 collection in New York City’s SoHo last week, not an event that would usually register too much here at road.cc were it not for the fact that the brand is launching a new Commuter Cycling Series, which appears to be squarely aimed at those who want to wear denim while on their bike, whether they’re heading off to work or an evening in the pub.
The key piece in the collection appears to be a pair of 511 jeans with specific features to make them more cycling friendly. Those include a utility waistband including D-lock storage, 3M reflective detailing and a higher cut so you’re not showing acres of flesh while out on your bike.
Levi’s PR people in the UK tell us that there are no plans at the moment to bring the range to the UK, so for now, unless you or someone you know is headed to the United States later on this year, they’re going to be difficult to get hold off. We’re looking to get further information on the range, however, and will give an update on that once we get it.

There’s no word as yet on price point, but a quick look at a variety of online retailers in the UK shows standard 511 jeans coming in at between £50 and £80, depending where you shop. That compares to £75 for jeans from Howies up to £150 for Rapha.

US-based clothing brand Outlier has jeans-style trousers from around £75-115, but you have to factor in the costs of shipping plus potential additional costs such as import duty.What Levi’s launch of its range does demonstrate, however, is that with cycling in general, and commuting by bike, on the rise, cycling is moving into the mainstream and big brands are sitting up and taking notice. Where one leads, others inevitably follow, so while the Levi’s range is set to be US-only, at least to begin with, this signal the start of seeing wider availability of cycling-specific clothing on the high street.

Thinking back to Levi’s iconic 501 TV ad featuring Nick Kamen in the 1980s, perhaps the mysterious Mr Opodolous from Eastenders should ask Walford Council to install cycle parking outside the Albert Square launderette, just in case

Levi's Ordered to pay up $1 million in overtime wages

Levi Strauss to pay $1 million in overtime

San Francisco Business Times - by Steven E.F. Brown

Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2011, 11:40am PDT

Levi's profit rose 28 percent in Q4

Levi's income up 28 percent in Q4

Jeans maker Levi Strauss & Co. will pay $1,011,413 in overtime back wages to 596 people after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found it violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Labor Department’s San Francisco district office found that Levi “misclassified several groups of workers, including assistant store managers of newly acquired stores, as exempt from overtime,” the department said. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis said such mistakes have “serious and adverse consequences for employees, as well as for corporations.”

Assistant store managers were thus required to work off the clock during late night closings and in the morning when they opened early. They also had to fill in without extra pay when stores were short of staff. Some administrative workers at Levi’s San Francisco headquarters were also misclassified as exempt from overtime. The investigation covered a two year period, the department said.
Levi has agreed to improve its timekeeping system for its workers as part of this deal.

Read more: Levi Strauss to pay $1 million in overtime
San Francisco Business Times

Branded music, live from Levi’s

By Maria Stadtmueller. Levi’s has launched a series of branded Craft Of Music live music events at its London Regent’s Street store, together with music mag Clash.

The after-hours gigs kicked off in mid-March with Welsh band The Joy Formidable and Jamaican/Iranian ‘gritty soul sensation’ Rox.

The first Levi’s Craft Of Music sessions bowed in London last August with a six-concert series in August 2010, with acts covering genres ranging from rock to folk and funk. The platform, which featured the likes of Bass Clef, Carl Barat, Lissie, Steve Mason, The Magic Numbers, Chilly Gonzales and Beardyman, aims to bring artists to small audiences to showcase and discuss their craft.



And for those who don’t get tickets to the gigs, the brand has uploaded a video gallery of musicians from around the world singing and talking about their stuff.

Water.Org (founded by Matt Damon) and Levi's

"Most people are still fairly uninformed about the world's water issues," Mike McCamon, Water.org's chief community officer, tells Marketing Daily. "We've got this icon of an African woman carrying a jerrycan on her head, and the problem is really far larger than just Africa. There are issues in Central America, Haiti ... it's a long list, and we were thrilled to partner with Levi's on this, since they had already successfully engaged people on the issue with their Water


Prizes for the game, which runs through April, include free jeans, as well as a shot at a trip to a community receiving access to clean water from Water.org, so the winners can "experience firsthand the excitement and joy of community members as their lives are forever changed."
Water.org, founded by actor Matt Damon and environmentalist Gary White, says one in eight people lack access to safe water, 2.5 billion don't have a toilet, and four million people die each year from preventable, waterborne diseases.

McCamon, who says the group has worked in the past with Zynga, which makes such games as FarmVille for social media, adds that while one might expect a strong Gen Y following, the group's mission really seems to resonate best with people 50 and older, as well as women, older especially moms.
Other marketers that have rallied around the water cause include Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble, through its PUR water brand

The Levi's® Brand Teams Up with Water.org to 'Unlock' 200 Million Liters of Clean Water Worldwide

New Levi's® "WaterTank" Game on Facebook Encourages Consumers to Change Their Water Use Habits to Support Communities in Need

 In celebration of World Water Day today, the Levi's® brand and Water.org are partnering to raise awareness about vital water issues and bring clean drinking water to people around the world. Levi's® Water

Water.org, a non-profit co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White, is a pioneer in delivering sustainable water and sanitation solutions to communities in need around the world. Today, one in eight people lack access to safe water and 2.5 billion don't have a toilet. Shockingly, four million people die each year from preventable, waterborne diseases. Water.org has worked for more than twenty years with local partner organizations to deliver community-led, sustainable water and sanitation services to those living in poverty and struggling to survive the global water crisis.
Participants in the Levi's® WaterTank game will help spread the word about the water crisis while supporting Water.org's global clean water projects. Consumers' daily water use habits can make a difference and even the smallest actions can make a big splash. Recent Levi Strauss & Co. research shows that one of the biggest water impacts of a product during its lifetime actually comes from how consumers care for their jeans. So, the Levi's® brand is challenging consumers to re-examine their water use and make meaningful changes in how they use this precious resource.
"We're proud of the innovations we've made in using less water to create our iconic products," said Robert Hanson, President, Global Levi's® brand. "But we know that some of the biggest impacts on the environment actually comes after our consumers take our products home. We need everyone's help to reduce our global water footprint – and deliver this excess water to those communities that need it most."
Consumers can take a variety of actions online to unlock water from the Levi's® WaterTank. Here are a few ways consumers can help make a difference:
•Pledge to wash your jeans less, take shorter showers and adopt better laundry habits

•Tweet something that contains the waterless hashtag (#waterless)

•Like the Levi's® brand on Facebook

•Check-in to any Levi's® Store in the United States

•Challenge friends to play the WaterTank game

•Answer water related trivia questions online

•Donate money to Water.org

•Scan a QR code in any Levi's® Store in the United States

•Watch a Levi's® and Water.org video online


By playing the WaterTank game, participants will be entered to win prizes including Levi's Water
"We're thrilled to partner with the Levi's® brand, an organization with a long-standing commitment to the water issue, to bring clean water to those in need," said Water.org Executive Director and Co-Founder Gary White. "While the global water crisis is a huge issue, it's also a solvable one. At Water.org, we've found social media to be the best, most effective way to engage more people and inspire action. The Levi's® WaterTank game is a great way everyone can take concrete action to make a real difference."

Levi's® Water

About the Levi's® brand
The Levi's® brand epitomizes classic American style and effortless cool. Since their invention by Levi Strauss in 1873, Levi's® jeans have become the most recognizable and imitated clothing in the world – capturing the imagination and loyalty of people for generations. Today, the Levi's® brand portfolio continues to evolve through a relentless pioneering and innovative spirit that is unparalleled in the apparel industry. Our range of leading jeanswear and accessories are available in more than 110 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style. For more information about the Levi's® brand, its products and stores, please visit http://www.levi.com/.

About Water.org

Water.org is a non-profit organization whose founders have transformed hundreds of communities in Africa, South Asia, and Central America by providing access to safe water and sanitation. Founded by Matt Damon and Gary White, Water.org works with local partners to deliver innovative solutions for long-term success. Its microfinance-based WaterCredit Initiative is pioneering sustainable giving in the sector. Learn more and make a difference at www.water.org.

SOURCE Levi's

Levi's is donating $50,000 to the relief efforts in Japan

Levi's is donating $50,000 to the relief efforts in Japan through the RED cross.

Dare to Care- $10,000 for best drying ideas

The Care to Air Design Challenge is a competition seeking the world’s most innovative, covetable, and


sustainable air-drying solution for clothing. At stake? $10,000 in prize money – from Levi Strauss & Co., the

challenge sponsor – to be distributed among the finalists in addition to an audience with our distinguished

panel of eco-innovators.

Levi Strauss & Co. is focused on building sustainability into everything they do including bringing the

company’s carbon footprint down to zero. While examining the lifecycle impact of a pair of Levi’s® 501’s, they

were surprised to find that almost 60% of the climate impact happens in the laundry phase – after a consumer

takes them home – and nearly 80% of that impact is due to the energy intensive method we chose for drying.

The single most important step we can all take to reduce the climate impact of our jeans is to choose air

drying. Energy from the sun and the wind is free, as opposed to the average clothes dryer, which is the second

biggest energy using appliance in the home after the refrigerator. Despite all this, the majority of US

households do not use air drying methods, and communities in the US are even banning outdoor clothes lines

because they say they look unsightly. Levis Strauss & Co. would like to challenge that point of view by finding

clothesline designs or other innovative air drying techniques that are undeniably stylish and effective.

In partnership with the Myoo Create community, Levi Strauss & Co. is running a competition for designers

everywhere to respond to the challenge of how to design the world’s most innovative, covetable, and

sustainable air-drying solution for clothing. They’re offering prize money for the most effective solutions, as

well as an audience with experienced designers and eco-innovators.

How to enter

The challenge will be open for entries on Myoo Create (http://myoocreate.com/challenges/care-to-air-designchallenge)

starting June 1st, 2010. In order to enter, you must first create an account at Myoo Create. Then

submit the following information:

1. Upload an image for your entry

2. Provide a 200 word description to accompany the image, including how your design meets the judging

criteria outlined below

3. Upload a three page design specification, with more details on the design, scalability, and

environmental attributes of your design.

Judging criteria

The judges will evaluate entries according to the following criteria:

1. Aesthetics: some communities perceive line drying to be unsightly and unappealing – that's why they've

banned outdoor line drying. So is there a way to make line drying or other air drying solutions more

aesthetically pleasing?

info@myoocreate.com

2. Scalability: does the design solution have the potential for widespread adoption? We really do believe that

air drying is an important part of a climate neutral tomorrow, so we are seeking solutions with potential for

mass adoption in urban and rural environments.

3. Environmental sustainability: designs will be expected to have their own sustainable life cycle in terms

of materials use, production process, and end of life. Let’s try and avoid solving one problem but creating

another.

4. Ingenuity: the clothesline and clothes pin is a tried and tested solution with a myriad of different designs

already on the market. It’s going to take some out of the box thinking to get beyond our current reality to find

something brand new that could be widely adopted. So we’ll reward ingenuity in our judging.

Challenge timetable & process

Open to Entries & Voting: June 1st- July 31st

The Challenge is open to entries from 00:00:00 Pacific Time (PT) on 01 June 2010 until 23:59:59 PT on 31 July

2010. During this time, Myoo Create community members may vote on the entries and provide feedback and

comments.

Once the voting period ends, the top three ranked entries as well as two judges' picks will be announced as the

designs entering in to the finals.

The awards for the Crowd Favorite and the Most Valuable Community Member will be announced at this time.

Finals: August 16th, 2010

The five finalists will be invited to participate in an event where they present their design to our judging panel.

The event will be in San Francisco. Finalists can attend in person, at their own cost, or by live video link. The

winners will be announced at the event.

Prizes

All five finalists will receive $500 for advancing to the judging round. The prizes for the winning designs are:

• 1st Prize $4500

• 2nd prize $1500

• Crowd Favorite: $1000 (for the top ranked entry based on community voting)

There is also $500 available for the Most Valuable Community Member.

Most Valuable Myoo Create Member

We believe that collaboration is at least as important as competition in stimulating breakthrough innovation.

Even if you are not a designer or do not have an entry, you can still participate and help find a solution.

To encourage collaboration between community members, we are offering a $500 prize for the Most Valuable

Myoo Create Member. The prize will be awarded to the community member who, in the opinion of the judges,

provides the best quality and most valuable feedback on the challenge entries. Anyone is eligible for this prize

– all you need to do is join in the conversation and contribute useful ideas and feedback on the entries.

info@myoocreate.com

Entry criteria

There is no limit on the number of entries each entrant can submit.

The competition is open to entries from around the world, but you may not enter into the Challenge if entry is

prohibited or restricted by any laws in the jurisdiction in which you’re located.

You must be at least 16 years old on June 1st, 2010, to enter the Challenge. If you are younger than 18, your

parent or guardian must consent to you entering this Challenge based on the Challenge Rules. In the event

that you are a winner of the Challenge we will require a signed consent from your parent or guardian.

IMPORTANT: please read the detailed Challenge Rules to make sure your entry meets our requirements. Noncompliance

may result in disqualification.

Contact us

You can find more information on http://myoocreate.com. Please contact us with any questions

info@myoocreate.com.

Levi's Doing the right thing works

The competition between the two neighboring shoe factories reached the point a few years ago where the owners refused to talk to each other.


Until last month’s fire.

It was about 5 o’clock in the morning when the blaze broke out in the small Brazilian town of Picada Café. It started at the Cooper Shoes factory. If something wasn’t done quickly, both it and the Sugar Shoes factory located next door, would easily be destroyed.
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Given the fire’s early start, by the time it was discovered, no one was able to access the fire-fighting equipment at Cooper Shoes. So they went next door.As it turns out, Sugar Shoes has a fire suppression system only because Levi Strauss & Co. required one to be installed, in accordance with local law, before we would allow the factory to make product for our brands.Ultimately, the Sugar Shoes hydrants not only prevented the fire from spreading, but also managed to save some of the equipment at Cooper Shoes.

Daniela Cunha is my colleague in Sao Paolo. She works with our Brazilian vendors and tells me that a few days after the fire, the owner of Cooper Shoes, where the fire originated, went to Sugar Shoes…to say thank you. He was moved to tears.

In 1991, Levi Strauss & Co. was the first multinational apparel company to establish a comprehensive workplace code of conduct for our manufacturing suppliers. Our Terms of Engagement spell out requirements that must be met before a supplier can make our products.It was those terms that paid off for the people in Picada Café last month – and for people around the world, every day.

Posted By: Choke Huckuntod, Levi Strauss & Co. Social & Environmental Sustainability

Laurie Etheridge is Levi's new leader of merchandising and design

The Levi's brand has appointed Laurie Etheridge, formerly at Perry Ellis International, as its global leader for women's merchandising and design, effective next month. While at Perry Ellis she merchandised and designed for Jantzen, Jag, Perry Ellis and Southpoint.
Interestingly, Etheridge began her career at Levi Strauss 16 years ago and eventually served as merchandising director for Levi's juniors and girls' product categories.
She is to join the Levi's brand April 18.

New Levi's Contest for $1000 gift card

Levi’s “Find Out What Style Jeans Are Best Suited For You and Be Entered to Win a $1,000 Gift Card!” Giveaway

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. MAKING A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. The “Find Out What Style Jeans Are Best Suited For You and Be Entered to Win a $1,000 Gift Card!” Giveaway (the “Contest”) is sponsored by Sugar Publishing, Inc. (owner and operator of FabSugar.com and BellaSugar.com), having an address of 111 Sutter Street, Suite 850, San Francisco, CA 94104 (“Sponsor”).

ELIGIBILITY:

Open only to permanent legal U.S. residents physically residing in the fifty (50) United States of America and the District of Columbia excluding the State of Rhode Island. Employees of Sponsor and its respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies and any other entity involved in the development or administration of this Contest, and their immediate family members or household members are not eligible to participate in or win the Contest. All prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parents or legal guardians on their behalf. Winners may be required to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility and complete relevant tax forms as a condition to the delivery of the applicable prize. Void where prohibited by law. All applicable federal, state and local laws apply.

HOW TO ENTER:

No purchase is necessary to participate in the Contest. To enter, you must log into your profile at any PopSugar Network site (or register for a profile at http://www.onsugar.com/user/register), navigate to Sponsor Post on FabSugar.com and BellaSugar.com and take the quiz as described on the entry page between 12:00 a.m. on March 14, 2011 and 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2011 (the “Entry Period”). Entries generated by script, macro or other automated means are void. Normal time, toll, connection and usage rates, if any, charged by your Internet service provider will apply. All entries become the property of the Sponsor. One entry per person.

By registering and taking the quiz, you will be agreeing that your registration and any other information collected in connection with the Contest may be used by Sponsor in accordance with Sugar Publishing, Inc.’s Privacy Policy and may be shared with Sponsor’s affiliated business entities, and that you automatically opt-in to receive email, text messages or other communications from Sponsor. You may subsequently opt-out of the receipt of such email or communications by following the directions in the email, communications or by contacting Sponsor directly.

All registrations must include entrant's valid email address. The email address provided by online entrants will be the identity of the entrant and, if selected for a prize, the identity of the winner. We expressly reserve the right to disqualify any entries that we believe in good faith are generated by an automated program or via scripts. By participating, all entrants agree to abide by these Official Contest Rules.

PRIZES:

At the end of the Entry Period, there will be one (1) drawing in which one (1) potential winner shall be selected from all eligible entries received during the Entry Period by employees or representatives of the Sponsor to receive the prize a $1,000 gift card to Levis (retail value = $1,000.00). Decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding with respect to all matters related to the Contest. All prizes will be awarded. In no event shall the Sponsor be obligated to award more prizes than the number of prizes stated in these Official Contest Rules. No substitutions (including for cash) are permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater monetary value for any prize. All prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parents or legal guardians on their behalf. Winners shall be responsible and liable for all federal, state and local taxes on the value of their prize. To receive a complete list of winners or a copy of the Official Contest Rules, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Prize Fulfillment, Sugar Inc., 111 Sutter Street, Suite 850, San Francisco, CA 94104. Specify winner's list or rules on your request.

Please allow 6-8 weeks for prize delivery.

SELECTION:

The winning entry will be chosen at random. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. In the event of a dispute regarding the identity of the person submitting the entry, the entry will be deemed to be submitted by the person in whose name the e-mail account is registered. The Contest will be conducted under the supervision of the Sponsor. The decisions of the Sponsor are final and binding in all matters relating to this Contest. The winners will be notified by email and/or by private message through the winner’s teamsugar.com account; Sponsor reserves the right to determine the method of notification. Winners must claim their prize within three (3) business days after the date of notification of such prize. A Contest winner's failure to respond to the prize notification within the specified three (3) business days will be considered such Contest winner's forfeiture of the prize and an alternate winner may be selected from the pool of eligible entries. If an entrant is found to be ineligible, an alternate winner may also be selected from the pool of eligible entries. Sponsor reserves the right to ship prizes directly to the email and/or mailing address provided by winners during their entry to the Contest. Each entry submitted in response to the Contest and in accordance with the rules will constitute an official entry. All entrants agree to abide by these Official Contest Rules. All entries become the property of the Sponsor.

General Conditions and Releases:

An entrant or winner may be disqualified from the Contest if he or she fails to comply with each provision of these Official Contest Rules, as determined in the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Participation in the Contest is at entrant’s own risk. Sponsor shall not be liable for 1) failed, returned or misdirected notifications based on inaccurate information provided by the winner on the contest entry form, 2) entries and responses to winner notifications which are lost, late, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible, postage-due, misdirected, damaged or otherwise not received by the intended recipient in whole or in part or for computer or technical error of any kind, 3) any electronic miscommunications or failures, technical hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions which may limit an entrant's ability to participate in the Contest, 4) any technical malfunctions of the telephone network, computer on-line system, computer equipment, software, program malfunctions or other failures, delayed computer transactions or network connections that are human, mechanical or technical in nature, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to entrant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from downloading any part of this Contest or 5) any warranty of fitness or merchantability of any prize or the function or operation thereof, which shall be the sole responsibility of the manufacturer of the prize. Sponsor does not make any, and hereby disclaim any and all, representations or warranties of any kind regarding any prize. Unless prohibited by applicable law, your entry constitutes your permission to use your name, photograph, likeness, voice, address (city and state) and testimonials in all media, in perpetuity, in any manner Sponsor deems appropriate for publicity purposes without any further compensation to such entrant. By entering or accepting a prize in the Contest, winners agree to be bound by these Official Contest Rules and to conform to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. When applicable, the winner (or, if the winner is a minor, the winner's parent or legal guardian) may be required to execute and return to Sponsor within ten (10) business days an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Liability and Publicity Release to be eligible for the prize or an alternate winner will be selected. Winner may be required to furnish proof of identity, address and birth date in order to receive a prize.

By entering, an entrant agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor and its respective parents, subsidiaries and affiliated entities, directors, officers, employees, attorneys, agents, and representatives from any damage, injury, death, loss, claim, action, demand, or other liability (collectively, “Claims”) that may arise from their acceptance, possession and/or use of any prize or their participation in this promotion, or from any misuse or malfunction of any prize awarded, regardless of whether such Claims, or knowledge of the facts constituting such Claims, exist at the time of entry or arise at any time thereafter. Any person attempting to defraud or in any way tamper with this Contest will be ineligible for prizes and may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Sponsor reserves the right to modify these Official Contest Rules in any way or at any time. Sponsor reserves the right, in their sole discretion, to cancel or suspend this Contest should viruses, bugs or other causes beyond their control corrupt the administration, security or proper play of the Contest. In the event of cancellation or suspension, Sugar shall promptly post a notice on the Contest entry page to such effect. This Contest shall be governed by California law. By participating in this contest, entrants agree that California courts shall have jurisdiction over any dispute or litigation arising from or relating to this Contest and that venue shall be only in San Francisco, California.

Levi's moves toward organic with Aura Herbal Textiles

Levi’s ties up with Aura Herbal Textiles


Monday, 14 March 2011

Ahmedabad-based Aura Herbal Textiles a certified company by Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) for their natural/herbal dyeing process has bagged a prestigious client in the form of world denim leader brand Levi Strauss of the iconic Levi’s fame. The American brand has commissioned Aura to supply it a range of knits and wovens, dyed and printed with herbs for its new proposed ‘Herbal Collection’. At Aura certified organic fabrics, textiles and yarns are used as the raw material. Dyeing, weaving, printing all is done under keen supervision to maintain quality standards and even lengths of up to 1,000 meters in different fabrics like voiles, poplins, twills, flannels, corduroys, denims, knits, silks is now possible.



Absolutely environmental friendly, Aura Herbal has beautiful color palette of earthy shades and various prints ensuring no waste is generated. All the solid and liquid waste is used as manure and for irrigating their farms. Started in 2002, the company has come a long way since then. The company is co-managed by couple Arun and Sonal Baid and supplies eco-friendly textile products to over 500 clients across the globe. According to the couple, the dream is to offer options to each and every user to choose an herbal dyed textile over chemical dyed one, with no limitations to design, quantity, and quality.

Speaking about the tie-up with Levi Strauss, Arun Baid says they are doing dyeing of knits and woven for the herbal collection they are proposing. The printing will also use the herbal process. He sees business growing fast and in the near future with a growth of 100 per cent annually. They are now entering into undergarments, towels and fabrics to begin with.

Levi's Craft of Music Review: The Joy Formidable & RoxThe Welsh rockers kick it offLive

Words by Mischa Pearlman


There are a lot of puzzled faces peering through the large windows of Regent Street’s Levi’s Store, all trying to work out what’s going inside. Some Japanese tourists even take pictures, presumably unaware of who it is they’re capturing on their cameras. What they don’t know, though, the people inside do – that tonight is the first in a series of intimate and personal gigs put on by Clash and Levi’s to showcase some of the UK’s best new talent.
First up is Rox, whose debut album ‘Memoirs’ came out in June last year. Accompanied by just
one pianist/guitarist, who switches between the two instruments, her songs tonight are tender
and touching, full of a melancholy soul that’s carried in her incredible, perfect vocals. A slowed-down, minor chord rendition (for the first time ever) of ‘My Baby Left Me’ is mesmerising, but it’s a beautiful and touching cover of Seal’s ‘Crazy’, dedicated to Japan and the victims of that morning’s earthquake, that steals the show. Reinvented as one of her own songs, it’s a perfect demonstration of her considerable talent.

It’s a tough act for The Joy Formidable to follow, but, surfing on a wave of attention and hype, they’re clearly up for the challenge. Tonight, the Welsh trio (who are now based in London) perform stripped down acoustic versions of songs from their recently released first full-length, ‘The Big Roar’. Although they’re unplugged, the likes of ‘Austere’ and ‘Whirring’ still fizzle with a spike, feisty verve. Singer Ritzy Bryan might, like her two bandmates, be seated, but her charisma is still able to fill the bustling, busy room. Having flown in from Europe especially for this gig, and flying out the next day to head to SXSW in Austin, you could forgive them for being a little tired and disengaged, but they’re not in the slightest. In fact, the intimate setting creates a wonderful sense of openness which their songs, stripped down and raw, really thrive on.

Both artists also take part in a Q&A with the BBC’s Jen Long, explaining the process of their songwriting craft to a crowd who, if they’re brave enough, are also able to ask their own questions. It’s a nice touch, elevating this above being just a normal gig to something that those present will remember for a long time. As for those looking in from the outside – they’ll have to apply for tickets well in advance for the next one!
For all the live footage from the night and all other Levis Craft Of Music gigs please visit www.leviscraftwork.com

MBA Summer Rotation at Levi's

Right now, we're looking for talented MBA’s who have a deep interest in the world of retail apparel to join our merchandising and marketing teams for 10 weeks this summer. If you're chosen, we'll teach you what you need to know about the world of merchandising and marketing. After all, the Levi’s® brand is the original and definitive denim brand in the world. In return, you'll advise us about your generation and what they're looking for when it comes to clothing.Our program will give you a chance to work on a strategic initiative that is presented to senior leadership, in addition to impacting consumers hrough marketing and merchandising rotations.

And to top it off, you'll spend the summer in beautiful San Francisco!

Position Overview
The Levi’s® Merchandising & Marketing MBA intern will be a key contributor to driving the Levi’s® Men's business worldwide. This role will exist in an environment of tremendous change and excitement: the Levi’s® brand is currently re-organizing from regional business units into a global business unit, with Merchandising, Design and Marketing (internally called “the Hub”) sitting at the creative core of the new organization.

This internship will provide a unique opportunity, as it features two 5-week summer rotations. One rotation will be in the Men's Merchandising group. The second rotation will be within Marketing or Strategy. The combination of learning experiences just might bring your consumer focus skills to the top of the pack.

The major responsibilities of these groups include:
•Merchandising: Razor-focused on understanding our core consumers and the competitive environment in order to create brand-right and market leading product. Merchandising has aesthetic, financial, and strategic ownership over Levi’s® Men's product, and therefore success as a merchant requires not only a discerning aesthetic eye, but also sound business management and leadership skills.

•Marketing: Understanding our core consumers and the competitive environment in order to deliver leading brand marketing programs and communications for the Levi’s® brand. Marketing works very closely with Merchandising to ensure product and brand marketing is tightly integrated. Marketing also requires a strong balance between a discerning aesthetic eye and sound business management and leadership skills.

•Strategy: Shape key forward-looking growth strategies that are also aligned with broader corporate goals. Strategy plays a key role in both driving major cross-functional projects for the Hub, and acting as the “devil’s advocate” in challenging and pressure-testing strategies that are being developed or are underway. Strategy requires a “jack of all trades” skill set and attitude, as projects are highly varied and are usually highly complex and high-profile.

The nature of the work during the internship, will include:
•Owning a major work stream focused on uncovering and assessing growth opportunities in the denim market.

•Participating in key go-to-market process activities, from either a merchandising or marketing perspective (depending on rotation), which could include product and/or marketing development.

•Supporting organizational transformation as the Levi’s® brand moves from a regional model to a global model, and unlocking ways to improve methods of collaboration.

•Highlighting and implementing ways to foster innovation within the company.

•Providing insights and support to executives across the company on timely work streams.

Qualifications
•Strong passion for human-centered design.

•Strong passion for executing well-rounded consumer experiences , across product, marketing, social/digital, in-store, etc.

•Strong interest in the apparel industry.

•Currently enrolled full-time in top-tier MBA program, with expected graduation in spring/summer 2012.

How to Apply

On-campus recruiting efforts will take place at the following business schools:
Duke - Fuqua
Harvard Business School
Northwestern - Kellogg
Stanford GSB
UC Berkeley - Haas
University of Michigan - Ross

If we're not recruiting at your campus, you may apply via the Careers section of LeviStrauss.com Search: MBA Internship

Levi's press release in Dubai

LEVI'S BRAND LAUNCHES LEVI�S� CURVE ID IN UAE


Catch the latest collection at a store near you!

Dubai, UAE - Mar 10, 2011 (PRN): On the occasion of Women's day, Al Madani Group, sole distributors of Levi's & Dockers within UAE, announced the local launch of the New Levi's Women's Global initiative. The 'Levi's' Curve ID.

Levi�s� Curve ID is a line of custom fit jeans that utilizes a revolutionary fit system based on shape and not size. Since Levi�s� Curve ID was introduced in August 2010, over a million women have found their perfect fit.

Levi�s Curve ID Fit System

Unlike other denim brands, Levi�s� Curve ID makes use of a fit system focusing on a woman�s shape and proportions, not her size. Levi�s� brand designers developed the line after studying more than 60,000 body scans and listening to women around the world of all shapes and sizes. The custom fits based on the difference between the measurement of a woman�s hip and seat � the greater the difference, the more curvy the body � and include:

Slight Curve � designed to celebrate straight figures

Slight Curve is designed to define a woman�s waist, while accentuating her curves. If jeans fit in the hips and thighs but are too tight in the waist, a woman should try the Slight Curve.

Demi Curve � designed to fit even proportions

Demi Curve is designed to flatter a woman�s waist, while smoothing her shape. If jeans usually fit in the waist, but don�t flatter the figure, a woman should try the Demi Curve.

Bold Curve � designed to honor genuine curves

Bold Curve is designed to hug the waist, without gapping or pulling. If jeans fit in the hips and thighs, but gap in the back, a woman should try the Bold Curve.

New Styles

Levi�s� CURVE ID made its debut in the Modern Rise, which sits a little lower on the waist for a contemporary look.

Now, women who prefer a slightly higher rise can find their perfect Levi�s� Curve ID fit in a Classic Rise that sits below the waist for a little more coverage and a classic look.
For Spring 2011, the Slight, Demi and Bold Levi�s� Curve ID fits are available in Modern or Classic Rise and a variety of styles (Skinny, Straight and Boot Cut) and finishes.

Available at

Levi�s� Curve ID is now available in UAE stores. Each store offers trained fit experts to measure women, identify their personal Levi�s� Curve ID and help them find the best fitting jeans for their body type and style preference. Women can also identify their perfect fit, explore a photo gallery of real women modeling the line, and learn more about the fit science behind �Shape not Size� Levi�s Curve ID by visiting the interactive digital fitting room on Levi.com.



Al Madani Group has Levi�s � outlets in Deira City Center, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai Mall, Mall of The Emirates, Mirdiff City Center, Al Ghurair City, Dubai Festival City, Sharjah City Center, Abu Dhabi Mall, and Marina Mall.



The latest Spring Summer �11 collection is currently available in their key stores.

Note: This press release has been issued on behalf of the Al Madani Group by KBC. For further information please contact +9714 3595777

Eminem's ProSocial Stand- Take a Stand (Warning rough language)

Eminem


Take a Stand: No matter what you think of Eminem- this man is a brilliant poet and here he is offering a prosocial view even if its in tough language.

Levis Roadwear and Mermonkeys

Levi's Works its Magic in China

Old Levi's Print Ad

Levi's Global Unification

Levi's goes global, taking the world in its very long stride


by Noel Young Marketing / UK

Levi's it seem has been around forever - and everywhere forever. So the news that the brand is to launch its first global ad campaign later this year is . . . surprising! Overseeing it is new Global Chief Marketing Officer Rebecca Van Dyck (pictured) who begins work on April 19, I am informed by Ad Age.

Ms. Van Dyck has I am told "plenty of global know-how". She was senior director - worldwide marketing and communications - at Apple, where she worked on the launch of the iPhone and iPad, to name but two. Before that, she was Nike's global account director at Wieden & Kennedy. Remember Nike's "Just Do It" campaign?



Her aim is to unify Levi's brand voice around the world. "One of the reasons this job now exists is to bring focus and consistency around the world," she said.



The first step towards a global approach came in 2009 with the appointment of Jaime Szulc as first global chief marketing officer. But the company still had separate operating structures for the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe regions.

In September, a restructuring paved the way for a global, rather than a regional organisation.

Robert Hanson, formerly president of Levi Strauss Americas, became president of the global Levi's brand. Ms. Van Dyck will report directly to him.

Wieden & Kennedy has been awarded global creative duties. In addition to Wieden's Portland, Ore., office, which produced the "Go Forth" campaign in the Americas, its Amsterdam, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sao Paulo offices will work on the business. Omnicom Group's OMD is handling global media duties, including planning, buying, online and offline.

While the shift to a global operating structure is new for Levi's, Ms. Van Dyck said it's the only way she knows how to do business. "I'm a fan of consistent brand voice and experience around the world," she said.

Levi Strauss & Co. does not give sales by brand. But in reporting its fourth-quarter results, it said the company grew revenue across the world in 2010, due to the strength of the Levi's brand, among other things. The company saw a 7% jump in sales for the year ended Nov. 28.

Strange Love

Levi's scores Rebecca Van Dyck as marketing executive

Levi hires Apple ad exec to fill key marketing job


Jeans maker Levi Strauss & Co. said Wednesday that it has lured way one of Apple Inc.'s top advertising executives to become the chief marketing officer of the Levi's brand. Rebecca Van Dyck joins San Francisco-based Levi Strauss after spending the past four years as Apple's senior director of worldwide advertising. While working at Cupertino-based Apple Van Dyck helped craft the marketing campaigns that turned the company's iPhone and iPad into hot-selling gadgets that have transformed the mobile computing market.



In her new job, Van Dyck will be promoting a well-known brand that has lost some of its luster during the past decade while rival jeans makers introduced trendier designs. Levi Strauss has been making a comeback recently; its sales last year increased 7 percent to $4.4 billion.
Van Dyck, 41, will try to build on that momentum by conjuring some of the marketing magic that worked at Apple and in her previous work on ad campaigns for Nike Inc."Becca is a world-class marketer whose deep understanding of consumer behavior and innovative approach to engaging with consumers will help take the Levi's brand to the next level," said Robert Hanson, president of the Levi's brand. Levi Strauss spent $328 million, a 23 percent increase from 2009. Van Dyck is scheduled to start her new job April 19

Docker's

Win a pair of Levi's iCurve ID jeans

Finding a pair of jeans that fit perfectly is like discovering fashion utopia.But since Levi’s introduced the Curve ID range of jeans in August 2010, more than a million women have found just that.
The range involved Levi’s changing its traditional approach to crafting denim jeans, focusing on a woman’s shape and proportions rather than size. The curve-friendly range was created as a result of studying more than 60,000 body scans and listening to women around the world.“The Levi’s brand believes women of all shapes and sizes should be able to find the perfect-fitting pair of jeans,” said Bibi Choa, vice president for Levi’s women’s merchandising and design.

The Curve ID range has a unique, customised fit system focusing on a woman’s shape and features three different styles:
Slight Curve - designed to celebrate straight-shaped figures, helping to accentuate curves. Ideal for women who find jeans fit well around the hips and thighs but usually too tight around the waist.
Demi Curve - this style is designed to fit even proportions and flatter a woman’s waist. A slightly curved side seam cleverly helps to smooth out your shape.
Bold Curve - designed to flatter fuller curves, while hugging the waist, without gapping or pulling. Ideal for women who usually find that jeans fit in the hips and thighs, but gape in the back.

The Curve ID jeans launched with a “modern rise” cut, which sits a little lower on the waist for a contemporary look.
Skinny, straight and skinny boot styles are all available in the modern rise.Just in time for winter 2011, the range will also be available in a slightly higher rise. This “classic rise” sits below the waist for a little more coverage and a more classic look and will be available in slim, straight and boot cut styles.

The jeans are packed with loads of clever design details such as strategically placed back pockets to complement the shape of your bottom. Jeans in sizes 35 and 36 will be added to the current spectrum of sizes 22 to 34 inches. The jeans are in stores now. Visit the interactive digital fitting room at levis.com.au to find your perfect fit.

Levi's sneaky "butt cam" campaign

Who are the real masterminds behind a low-tech YouTube hit?

By Mary Elizabeth Williams Want to create a viral hit?
 I suggest the phrase "ass cam." "Ever wonder what goes on behind your back?" self-proclaimed "Rear View Girl" Reanin asks from a casually cluttered bedroom, right before slipping a hidden camera into the back pocket of her accomplice Jessie's form-fitting jeans. "Well, we figured out a way to bust people." In a booty-flaunting clip that's racked up nearly 7 million views since it debuted on YouTube last week, the two then take to the streets of Los Angeles and stealthily record all the second looks their rear views attract. Was their experiment a feminist exploration of the male gaze in modern society, a Hollaback Project-inspired two-girl campaign? Was the jaunty use of Amanda Blank's "Something Bigger, Something Better" (sample lyric: "I'm owning the first class hooker shit") ironic commentary? I mean, look at all those lascivious stares! So busted! Ass cams for the people!

Actually, the clip was created by Levi's. Oh.

You'd sure never know it from the video, which never mentions the brand and barely even shows off said ogle-winning denim. There is, however, a brief partial shot of a Levi's store sign as a man dressed as Jesus openly gawks past the ladies, which I'm sure a shrink would have a field day interpreting. You probably wouldn't even guess it's a Levi's ad from the accompanying "behind-the-scenes" video, which lingers over the girls' butts, closes with an innocuous-seeming shot of a pair of jeans, but never mentions the company. But who needs to say what you're selling when you've got two hotties selling it anyway?

In its first few days, the ass cam video drew plenty of views -- and accompanying media stories about the apparently amateurish stunt. Jess tweeted jovially that the two women simply "love men!" and that "We're celebrating your appreciation 4 women everywhere! ;)" But this week, Colenso BBDO Auckland fessed up that it was the brains behind the behinds. The agency's creative director, Nick Worthington, meanwhile bragged to Campaignbrief.com that "Levi's tells us it's the fastest, most successful viral campaign Levi's has ever done, and it's only just started."
Now that the cat is out of the low-rise, boot cut bag, it's a fair assumption that Levi's has some clever next move to capitalize on all the notice that Jess and Reanin's posteriors have garnered. Nevertheless, the idea of an advertising campaign so subtle that nobody watching can even tell it's an advertising campaign is a pretty unusual one.

Good Guide give Levi's Green Thumbs Up

More than Marketing- commitment

The Levi Strauss Foundation is focused on making a difference on three issues, all of which are rooted in the values of Levi Strauss & Co.:




•HIV/AIDS

•Asset Building

•Workers Rights

HIV/AIDS

Changing the course of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic requires the courage to tackle challenging social issues, the commitment to sustain long-term investments and the determination to push the limits of existing responses. We view AIDS not simply as a health problem, but a product of — and exacerbated by — pervasive violations of human rights. Because HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects the poor, least educated and most marginalized people, we have pioneered new approaches to eliminate the stigma of the disease and promote advocacy for those afflicted.



In 1982, the Levi Strauss Foundation became the first U.S. corporate foundation to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since then, we have contributed approximately $45 million to HIV/AIDS service organizations in more than 40 countries. In 2010, we will dedicate roughly $2.1 million to this area.



Asset Building

We believe that low-income working people, when given the right incentives and support, will save for long-term goals. Building assets has profound effects on individuals and families and their ability to break the poverty cycle. It enables them to plan for the future, avoid risky behavior, and weather unexpected financial storms. Ultimately, it can make home ownership and entrepreneurial job creation a genuine possibility. As such, asset building represents a long-term, innovative anti-poverty strategy that pushes the limits on what is possible.



Our commitment to asset-building programs grew out of early support of the American Dream Demonstration in 1997, a pioneering pilot program that matched savings accounts for the working poor devoted to purchasing a home, paying for college or skills training or starting a small business. The findings of this five-year program have powerfully influenced policies and programs in the United States — and, more recently, abroad.



In 2010, we will devote approximately $1.6 million of grant funds to advance our goals in asset building in the U.S. and abroad.



Worker Rights

From our earliest days, our company has advanced the rights and well-being of workers in the apparel and textile industries. Today, the goal of our Foundation is to support programs that reach approximately 300,000 apparel and textile workers annually in 15 countries where our products are made. These programs range from asset building and financial literacy programs to address the impact of the expiration of the Multi-Fiber Arrangement (MFA) in Latin America to helping the significant female migrant labor force in China.



Our strategy to advance worker rights embraces four approaches:



1.Educate workers and factory management on labor rights and responsibilities.

2.Improve the health of workers (including hygiene, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS).

3.Provide asset-building opportunities for workers.

4.Enhance oversight of labor laws through support for factory-level dispute resolution mechanisms, legal aid and arbitration channels.

In 2010, we will devote more than $1.5 million of grant funds to advance our goals for supporting and enhancing worker rights.

Dig, Dig, Dig

Another example of Levi's support