How Levi’s reflects the American Dream for many Germans and French

On March 21, when Levi’s went public, it looked like the whole planet went crazy. The news made it to the top of American as well as French and German media. The coverage went far beyond a stock perspective. In France, for example, many women’s weekly magazines took this opportunity to shoot fashionable pictures with the 501.

When I traveled to San Francisco for the first time, of course I had to buy a 501. On one hand, I knew they were cheaper there than in Europe, and not only because of the favorable currency exchange (Levi’s pricing is higher-end in Europe). On the other hand, my primary motivation was to buy small pieces that reflect the American way of life. A pair of Levi’s, Ray-Ban sunglasses, and a cordless phone (not yet arrived in Europe) were in my suitcase when I flew back home to Francfort.

German and French tourists have added Nike sneakers, Converse or Vans shoes, and Ralph Lauren shirts to their shopping list, but Levi’s jeans are always a solid favorite.

What makes the 146-year-old company so special?

The brand’s history is deeply intertwined with the history of the United States.

When Bavarian immigrant Loeb Strauß opened a small business in California, gold miners were glad to buy his clothes, made of strong canvas sailcloth originally designed for covering the pioneers’ wagons. Years later, his partnership with a tailor from Reno, Nevada turned out to be a gold mine: they put patented metal rivets at the pocket corners, making the jeans even more sturdy.

Today, the company is still in the family’s hands and made over $5 billion in sales last year.

If you ask a French or German person to name American brands, they will probably first mention Coca Cola, McDonald’s, and Nike. Perhaps also Apple and Google. I’m not sure if Levi’s would make the cut. In light of its core brand values, it should.

Levi‘s is one of the few brands that are iconic all over the world. There is denim and denim. Then there is Levi‘s.

Core values that resonate strongly with customers

The 501 jeans crossed the eras for over a century and still stand for quality and sturdiness. First, they were the favorite pants of the pioneers, then of the American GIs after liberating France. After WWII, Hollywood dressed James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause and Marlon Brando in The Wild One with Levi’s jeans. Through the years, Levi’s kept standing for freedom, adventure, and independence but also collective values like equality and fraternity.

Quality is not the only reason for their success. Since 1967, Levi’s has advertised on TV. I was a teen in the 80s and a commercial junkie, which explains the following references.

The power of advertising

The Levi’s commercials I remember have all a sexy touch. Featuring attractive men (granted, my perspective is biased!), sometimes just dressed in a pair of jeans, they made the brand unforgettable for my generation. In France as well as in Germany.

Do you remember young Brad Pitt coming out of a prison somewhere in the desert? Or the laundromat guy stripping down to his boxer shorts?

In the 80s, the company was struggling. In short, Levi’s were the “sort of jeans worn by people’s dads, and not even trendy dads”. New commercials with attractive models, supported by the right music, were the deal breaker. At least for my generation, the opening sound of Marvin Gaye’s’ “I heard it through the grapevine” brings only one image to mind: the guy in boxer shorts in the laundromat.

A successful first day of trading

On March 21, the exceptionally jeans-friendly New York Stock Exchange (which suspended its prohibition on wearing jeans for the day) saw Levi’s initial share price of $17 rise by 32% and pushed the company’s value above $8.5 billion.

Obviously, the frenzy was justified. At the time of writing, the share price was $23.95.

Photo credit: Pinterest by The Irreverent Psychologist