Article details 12 comments
2/12 2008

Dear Levi 501: Thanks for Making Me Vomit

I am a huge fan of advertising. I follow advertising. I watch and read about advertising. The art of advertising is something that will never get old to me.

So, I am sitting on my couch watching Family Guy last night and this Levi 501 commercial comes on. I already have an idea that the commercial is completely sex charged. What I find is something a little beyond the lines of sex charged.

Please watch the commercial below.

Okay. I’m not really offended by the “sex sells” mantra of clothing advertising because it is pretty prevalent. This does not mean I agree with it, as much as I am just used to it.

This commercial is completely ridiculous for a number of reasons but most of all…

THE CHARACTERS/ACTORS LOOK PREPUBESCENT.

And for everyone that does not know what prepubescent means… We can safely say between the ages of 13 and 15.

Are you serious? Are you seriously coming out with an ad that shows two young (looking) individuals about to romp but SURPRISE they are actually just jumping off the side of a railing into the water…. surprise. What a GREAT joke!

Needless to say I threw up on myself.

If there were two older looking individuals I would have just been weirded out but this is absolutely ridiculous. I would have at least kept my food in my stomach.

:-)

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  1. 2/12 2008

    I thought they were going to surf. =)

    It may have turned your stomach, Kyle, but you prompted me to watch it and you are now echoing its message through your blog. How many other people will watch it to the very end because you blogged about it?

    You may want to “heave the gorge” –as Shakespeare would say — but you can’t deny its advertising efficacy.

  2. 2/12 2008

    Kyle, I completely agree. As a former Youth Pastor, I found it gross. I think the actors look way too young and should have been atleast college age to be appropriate.

    I think you’re right for blogging about it!

  3. 2/12 2008

    At least it’s difficult to have sex underwater.

    I thought it was odd that there was water in the background when it began. I really wanted to finish the commercial, once I realized the water was there to see whether it was sex or not. Looks like it could easily be a friend with benefits case either way.

  4. 2/12 2008

    Kyle you are absolutely right on this one- this one turned my stomach greatly. And to address Amy’s comment- memorable marketing is not necessarily good marketing. Sure it may have done its job in leaving a lasting impression, but it was a very bad impression. Point-in-case, my wife and I were walking through the mall and saw a Levi’s print ad in one of the stores. We quickly recalled the ad and went into a different store…

  5. 2/12 2008

    I just watched it with the sound muted, and I didn’t think it was too bad. Perhaps it’s what they’re saying that leads you to think something else? Or maybe it’s because I knew what the outcome was going to be?

  6. 2/12 2008

    @Amy I was going to make a comment about Stephen took the words right out of mouth! It doesn’t matter how many views someone gets. It all has to do with sales.

  7. 2/12 2008

    EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! That’s just creepy.

    When a couple of obviously 15-year-olds stare deeply into each others’ eyes as they get undressed, you know what is going through everyone’s heads.

    For Levi’s to play off of that makes them uber-creepy.

    I’m sure their marketing guys are going to say “but the jeans aren’t for you, the ads aren’t for you.” To which I will remind them, “yes, but I control the purchasing for the people you’re trying to reach, so you can guess whose jeans we WON’T be buying in the next couple of months.”

    Creeps.

  8. 2/12 2008

    I saw this commerical before and remember thinking the same thing. They are saying sex is cool. To a 15 year-old, this is going to have an impact. It is very irresponsible on Levi’s part to promote such a thing.

  9. 2/12 2008

    Agreed. Creepy.

  10. 2/12 2008

    Yeah that was a bit much…

  11. 2/12 2008

    As a parent and a Consumer who decides who i will and will not support with my dollars… there will be no Levi’s purchased in my house. I think I am going to go throw up now myself… What parent would let their kid be in that kind of ad? that is the creepy part.

  12. Dan C
    2/12 2008

    Oh please. seriously, They dont look like they’re “Pre-teens” or what ever haha, they look like they’re 16-18 or something. Clearly you people are all older and may have forgot…

    anywho…

    Of anything was wrong with this it was the lack of in advert Levi’s promotion…

    Dont ask me how i ended up on this website…
    I googled Lev’s and it came through grow up!

    nd i’m not some old creep getting off on this i’m 17….

    Peace