Levi's Launches Cause Marketing Blitz

The new phase of Levi's "Go Forth" campaign supports Water.org, a non-profit organization that finds solutions for water and sanitation problems. It is fitting that the company with the most liked denim brand on Facebook announced the campaign via that medium. Its one-minute commercial, titled "Levi's Legacy, what it calls a "60-second film," debuted there recently.

Levi's calls the campaign a "digital engagement program." Levi's asks its 6.2 million Facebook fans to click on the ad. After 100,000 people watch it, Levi's will make a donation to Water.org. On August 12, the commercial began appearing on movie screens in a number of countries, and later this month, will appear on television. Levi's has also launched print ads.

On Facebook, Levi's is using "Sponsored Stories," the Facebook marketing tool that allows a brand to create  ads targeted to its Facebook fans. A report by TBG shows that Sponsored Stories can decrease the cost per acquisition in an ad campaign by 32 percent.

"It’s a campaign born from the insight that young people today want to make a positive change in the world," said Rebecca Van Dyck, the chief marketing officer at Levi’s.

"Through Facebook and Levi.com, Levi’s fans and viewers will be encouraged to support the spirit and influence of today’s modern pioneers who are working to create a better world," said Van Dyck.

Van Dyck added, "Our 60-second 'Go Forth' film and digital engagement program recognize people around the globe who are stepping forward to transform the world…Through Facebook, we hope to inspire people to join us in supporting the important work of today’s pioneers."

"We are thrilled that Levi's has chosen to harness the power that brands can have on Facebook by using our platform to premiere their first-ever global advertising campaign," said Carolyn Everson, vice president of global marketing solutions at Facebook. "Not only are they sharing this content on a global scale with people on Facebook first, but they are creating a place where fans can share stories with an ultimate goal of effecting positive change in the world."

Levi's cause marketing blitz brings Water.org, and the importance of supporting it, to the attention of its millions of fans. Water is, after all, the stuff of life, and unfortunately, 884 million people globally lack access to safe water supplies, according to Water.org, or about one in eight people. A total of 3.575 million people die each year from water-related disease.

Photo: Flickr user, uduokkamah