If this is the future of marketing, count me in.
At the party last night I was talking to Anne Marie, the girl who ran the workshop I attended earlier in the day, because both of us thought we’d met before and couldn’t figure out where (our best bet was in Boston, but still couldn’t figure it out totally). Regardless, we were talking about how the workshop came about, as I wasn’t sure if it was initially part of W+K’s strategy for the brand. (Turns out, it wasn’t, but rather something that Levi’s got pitched).
But we both did agree that no matter what sort of corporate sponsorship there was, and even though it was a huge PR stunt, it was the absolute best kind possible. As she put it, “it’s PR, but it’s fucking awesome.”
The photocopier was free for anyone to come in and use, with zines hanging all around and a bit about the how all great zines start with a photocopier, and a note to “Print your f&*#ing life.” A silkscreen studio, darkroom, exposing machine, not to mention two giant letterpress machines and a ton of wood type. All for the public to come in and learn and use. Computers sat in the back with Adobe CS5, but who really gives a shit about computers in a setting like this.
Levi’s campaign right now (all about work) is kind of great, but in this setting, it’s fantastic and inspiring. This was nothing but encouragement for people to learn, to be creative, to take some time from their lives to realize maybe what printing is or at least have some fun.
If there’s any type of advertising that will work on me, it’s this kind of advertising. Nothing about this appealed to anything negative stereotype or lowered the bar on visual culture. If anything, it raised the bar about 400%. This was pro-active, and from the beginning (when Mission locals had vandalized it due to its corporate nature) I felt that it was such a bold statement that anti-corporate sentiment falls short of realizing that if there is anything good about corporations, it’s this right here.
I’m not going to go out and re-stock my wardrobe filled with shit from Levi’s, but chances are next time I want a t-shirt, I’ll probably pick it up from them. Because there aren’t many other major companies I see right now doing things like this. Clothing companies can talk all they want about being made in America (or at least sweatshop free), but this is the difference between a company and a brand. But as far as I’m concerned, if it keeps Levi’s interested in doing things like this, I’ll certainly support them over anywhere else.
Levi’s elevated their brand with this, and I’m trying to find an excuse to fly to New York to get to experience the photography workshop opening up in October and running through December. If nothing else, this entire place was, somewhat ironically, about DIY. Sure, there were a couple shirts and jeans for sale in the middle of the floor, but it took up a minimum amount of space. I’d imagine you’d be allowed to screenprint on them if you bought one.
There are many aspects of the world that are inspiring. Just living in the Tenderloin here in San Francisco inspires me on a daily basis, but that’s more in a way to push myself to never give up. It’s also visually enamoring in many ways. But seldom have I ever seen something a corporation does and thought, “Man, that is just spectacular. That makes me want to go do something with my life.”
So kudos to Levi’s, and the print shop, and the however many people it managed to get to make their first zine or poster, explore the idea of sentiment on paper and see what all designers would do with their life if the medium allowed for such time to be granted to the craft. I wish it was a permanent fixture in the Mission (or anywhere), but for now I’m just glad I got to see it once, on the last day.
