Historical Significance:
Levi Strauss and CO. (Levi's), is an American denim
clothing company that was established in 1873, San Francisco. Levi's denim wear is notable for their
enduring strength, practical use, comfort, and even style. Levi Jean's has been imprinted in American
society with more relevance than any other article of clothing. Contrary to the modern legend, Levi did not dress
the minors of the 1850s, but did in fact clothe those minor's children and grandchildren
who would become the first labor workers of the Industrial Western Frontier of
the early 20th century. Factory workers,
cowboys, and lumberjacks were all American Western labor workers who sported
Levi's in the early 20th century.
Commercial Depictions/Class Concepts:
Levi's "Go Forth" commercial epitomizes
the sense of nationalism the brand oozes in this one-minute long pep rally for the
American youth. The clip opens with the neon
lettering of the word “AMERICA” with fireworks falling as if it were the “Forth”
of July, the most patriotic holiday. The
narrator, sounding as if he were on a household radio stating a national broadcast,
announces “America… Centre of equal daughters… Equal sons… All alike indeed.” We see how the commercial incudes different
races of people, most vividly noticed with a kiss of an interracial
couple. This Melting Pot ideology resembles
that same melting pot that the School House Rock children’s cartoon so
emphatically praises in the chorus as The
Great American MEL-TING-POT! The black and white dramatization gives a
since of historical importance. We see
individuals running freely in open pastures, climbing fences, walking the shores
of bodied waters, and horseback riding.
All of which contribute to the ideology of freedom that we all alike
obtain. The sight of different types of
youthful Americans doing all different kinds of activities revisits Walt
Whitman’s I hear American Singing. Both poem and commercial glorify the task
of each individual American, a task that “belongs to him or her and no one else”
(line 12; I Hear America Singing). The narrator continues saying, “[We are]
strong, fair, enduring, capable, rich.”
The American Exceptionalism ideology is present in the diction, which builds
up the idea that we are united in our common virtues. Later, the narrator states, “[American
citizens are] perennial with the Earth, with freedom, law, and love.” Perennial (lasting; enduring), is
strategically used to depict American citizens.
Constitutionally, we were established as a free and lawful nation and will
“Go Forth” in this manner.
Levi’s Underlying Theme:
Particularly, it is more common to see the
adolescent bottomed in the Levi Jean.
The words used by the narrative to describe American youthful citizens
are also common words that depict the Levi jeans: strong, free, enduring,
capable, and perennial. In the
conclusion of the commercial we see two kids running with a banner that shows
the slogan “Go Forth.” In regards to the Youth, Modern Age has proven that
American clothing style is launched in an infinite amount of direction. The
goal of the Levi's brand is to unite the youth of America as one driving force
that will one day be the future of a great nation. The underlying goal of Levi is to exert a
sense of nationalism to the youth, give voice to their freedom, and unite them
as a product as the future. As if to say…
We as Levi Strauss and CO. have been clothing those
who have partaken in the evolution of America, and we will continue to do so
with the youth pulling up their Levi Jeans (instead of their bootstraps) and
continue to “Go Forth” with a perennial freedom, law, and love.
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