Why the ‘Go Forth’ Levi’s campaign is crap
Dear Dr. Willem Smit (and others that are very welcome to continue reading),
A friend pointed your blogpost out to me, and even re-posted it. I’m always keen on brands and communication that bring more value and use to society (and the world we live in), that’s probably why he send me the link. It’s a great post, with inspiring examples, thanks for that! One thing is bothering me though, again. That’s the ‘go forth’ example from Levi’s. Please let me explain…
Let’s first state that I really admire Levi’s, and it’s agency and brand consultants, for their guts to create the ‘Go Forth’ story.
For those who are not familiair with ‘Go Forth’. First watch the movie, and draw your own conclusion (and please feel free to comment at the end of this post!).
So? Liked it? Are you now completely motivated to change whatever around you? With Levi’s?
This is what i like about the story:
- it makes you think
- it’s very very well executed. Brilliant setting, nice images, great music.
- it’s refreshing in the line-up off boring Dutch commercials
- it a great kick starter for conversation (1500 reactions on YouTube, on FB Levi’s has 180.000 people interacting at this very minute… although on the GoForth tab it’s unclear what the involvement really is. Plus me (and you Willem) blogging about it months after the campaign).
And this is why it’s a bad example in “social communication”:
- Where’s the link with the original brand story? Besides showing how CSR the brand and organization is (although that’s being disputed in the comments on YouTube). I thought Levi’s was about Levi Strauss, inventing jeans! Off course there is a link with ‘pioneering’.. and i can imagine they wanted to make the link with ‘pioneering for a better world’. But the link is just not strong enough. I really cannot make my own version of the story to share with my friends.
- Where’s the conversation? I see messages everywhere. On their goforth.levi.com website (“fans helped 5 people change the world”) and on their Facebook page. But i don’t feel temped to interact, to join the conversation. To take a look who those 5 people (only 5 ???!!!) are who are probably really doing a wonderfull job, and what their story is. I don’t feel temped to share my own, or submit to another (“do you know a pioneer?”). Levi’s doesn’t give me enough reason why. I can more easily go and support the 1%Club or by a piece of chocolate for a better world. I miss the story from Levi’s where i fit in.
A comparable big brand, say Pepsi, for example, did a great job with their Pepsi Refresh Project. The link is very very clear. The execution is very well done. The interaction is good. And they immediately followed up with new communication and Refreshing Projects.
So i hope it’s clear why i needed to make a small (ahum!) post. Because i do think it’s great fun, and very valuable, that brands go further… But please open up, be really social, and build your story from the heard of your brand!
Thanks for listening Willem (and others). Please feel free to react (or not) 
Yvette (@tweedejansteen)
