Beyoncé’s cowboy call-out for Levi’s can help reposition them both
Levi Strauss & Co’s jeans got a hat tip with the recent release of Beyoncé’s album, Cowboy Carter, which draws on country and folk music across cultures and eras. It includes a sensual song called Levii’s Jeans. As fans speculate, the double ‘i’ plays off the fact that the album is ‘Act II’ of a planned trilogy.
The company nodded by changing its Instagram name to ‘Levii’s’ and posting a carousel of photos with the subtitle, “Oh to be Levi’s jeans right now." There is speculation that a Cowboy Carter tour could be the type of windfall for the jeans maker that Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour was for glitzy Etsy businesses. It’s like a glittering ad campaign served on a silver platter for Levi. But it’s the brand’s cost-cutting and growth plan that will keep it headed well, not the Beyhive alone.
Of course, being on the radar of one of the biggest fandoms in the world has its perks. It could help Levi thrive during this stretch of slowing US consumer demand for goods and kick off its campaign to become a more sought-after brand. Yet, on its last earnings call, the company indicated that it’s not getting too caught up in the Queen Bey hype.
That’s wise. In the long run, it’ll take more than Beyoncé to get choosy shoppers to spend on jeans. Although Levi’s new CEO Michelle Gass said the company was “very honoured" by the shoutout, she stopped short of saying the song impacted sales so far.
“Denim is having a moment, and the Levi’s brand is having a powerful moment around the world," she added. This comes months after the company began slashing costs. In January, it announced that it would trim about 12% of its global workforce, discontinue its lower-margin Denizen business and reduce discounts.
Read more on livemint.com
