Representing Levi’s

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Representing Levi’s

        When the Levi’s sales decreased in the 1980s, they brought out a new line of TV advertisements in hope to boost the image and sales from ‘my Dad’s jeans’ to ‘rebalware’ for teenagers and young adults. In the 1950’s jeans gave the image of being hardworking and cool, it projected a ‘strong’ image for the wearer, boosting his/her confidence and self-ego. The main audience were young adults, mainly men. In this essay I will compare three adverts, Russia, Pawnbroker and Bath.

        Russia shows a young man in his mid 20’s at an airport in Russia, we can tell this from a big picture of Lenin on the main wall. A solider checks his suitcase, the man is nervous, the solider brings out a James Dean magazine, this is set in the 1950’s when the cold war was in ‘action’, a war of ideas between America and Russia over Communism. James Dean is an American movie star and a classic representation of rebelling. Then a senior officer marches by, the crowds in the main hall move to let him by, showing he is a figure of authority. He salutes the soldier, and the man set off into Russia. There are images of deserted streets and hintings of somebody or something watching him. He enters a sinister flat building, all the flats look the same. He hurries up the stairs and enters his room. Relieved as he closes the door behind him. He opens the suitcase, throwing everything out of his suitcase he brings out a carefully hidden paper bag. He retrieves from this a pair of Levi’s. The end shot shows the jeans carefully folded with the label highlighted in red with the brand name. Underneath a slogan reads slogan ‘There’s Levi’s and there’s jeans’.

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        It is set in 1950’s Russia during the cold war. It is shot in black and white to project a cold and dreary effect on the advert maybe also adding a ‘spy’ look about it. The music is classical and boring with a slight influence of military, representing Russia in all its glory. Russia at this time was a highly controlled country, with hefty laws and punishments, setting the scene for rebelling. It is set in an airport, the man has just arrived and is checking in. there is atmosphere of tension as the soldiers carry guns and everything is ...

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