Podcast Summary: On Strategy Showcase

Episode: On the Spot: Levi’s and Jeep
Date: April 12, 2026
Host: Fergus O’Carroll
Guests:

• Isaac Ciacki (Partnerships Lead, Tracksuit)
• Ashley Williams (SVP Experience Design, Spark Foundry)
• Vanessa Chin (SVP Marketing, System1)
• John Kenny (Chief Strategy Officer, Eversana Intouch)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the enduring challenges and shifting strategies faced by two iconic American brands—Levi's and Jeep. The panelists explore how these heritage-heavy brands have navigated cultural change, polarization, and shifting consumer expectations—especially as they attempt to attract younger audiences and remain culturally relevant. The conversation also examines recent advertising campaigns, the balance between brand legacy and emotional resonance, and the lessons other brands can glean from their ongoing evolution.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Struggle to Reclaim Icon Status in a Polarized Age (00:47)

• Host’s Framing: The consensus around rugged individualism and Americana—once the bedrock of brands like Levi’s and Jeep—has fractured due to cultural polarization. Attempts to “reconvene” this consensus (e.g., Jeep’s Springsteen/Ford spots; Levi’s “Uniform of Progress” positioning) seem less effective now.

• Key Insight: Successful work for both brands (“Jeep’s Groundhog Day”, “Levi’s The Floor is Yours”) abandons the grand, anthemic narrative in favor of small, joyful, relatable, human moments.

  "The brands that will win are not the ones that try to be the last shared story. They're the ones that avoid trying to hold a whole country together and just make something that is true." — Fergus O’Carroll (01:59)

2. Levi’s: From Icon to Everyman? (05:10–28:54)

A. From Cool to Mass Appeal (06:14–08:29)

• Evolution: Early iconic work (BBH’s “Laundromat” in the 80s; Wieden+Kennedy’s “Go Forth” in 2008) reflected and influenced youth culture and optimism.

• Challenge: “Go Forth” was intellectual and niche—understood by insiders more than the mainstream.

  "[Go Forth] felt like the cool kids in Berlin." — John Kenny (07:21)

B. The Post-COVID Shift and Demographic Headwinds (09:53–11:36)

• Athleisure’s Impact: COVID fueled the surge in athleisure, denting denim’s relevance. Levi’s now faces a shrinking, aging customer base (dominant among 55+).

• Challenge: How to remain the all-American brand in a fractured, post-pandemic society and attract Gen Z/younger audiences?

  "How do you be an all-American brand in such a polarized time?" — John Kenny (10:27)

C. Messaging Confusion & the Peril of Chasing Trends (13:12–21:41)

• Heritage vs. Relevance: Levi’s remains synonymous with jeans—“the category”—but struggles to break free from its own tradition to be seen as fashionable or progressive.

• Celebrity Partnerships: Beyonce’s involvement felt more about celebrity than brand DNA.

• Super Bowl Spot: A masterclass in "big tent brand-building”—but “hard to emotionally connect to butts” (Vanessa Chin, 16:42). Strong category “fluency” but low emotional intensity scores, raising questions about long-term brand equity.

  “It had a 95% fluency... but emotionally, out of a 5.9, it scored a 2.3.” — Vanessa Chin (16:54)

• “The Floor is Yours” (2025): Levi’s most emotionally positive recent work, especially compared to competitors, but still feels generically “youthful” without a unique Levi’s edge (22:24).

  “It had the strongest positive emotions out of any of the Levi’s work... and actually, when I look across Gap, American Eagle, JCPenney, J.Crew—by far the most positive emotions.” — Vanessa Chin (22:30)

D. Fundamental Question: Who Is Levi’s For? (23:02–26:13)

• Funnel Efficiency: Nearly everyone knows and considers Levi’s, but underindexing among 18-24s.

• Striking the Right “Progress” Note: “Unofficial uniform of progress” is difficult in today’s climate, where “progress” means very different things to different people.

  “You want to cut through, but how do you do that when that involves taking a really, really big risk as a brand?” — Ashley Williams (24:48)

• Recalibrating Progress: Maybe “progress” is just about connection and relatable joy, not grand narratives.

  “Maybe we just need to recalibrate what progress looks like... more than anything, this is a social brand. This is about connection.” — John Kenny (26:13)

3. Jeep: From Earnest Americana to Irreverent Storytelling (28:54–40:24)

A. Balancing Act: Rugged Individualism vs. Mainstream Appeal (29:34–34:30)

• Recent Campaigns:

  • Springsteen & Harrison Ford Spots: Large, earnest, “trying to call for unity”—but often polarizing or failing to emotionally land.
  • Grand Wagoneer “Sex Car” Spot: Comedian Eliza Schlesinger’s three-minute digital spot—irreverent, risky, launched first on YouTube; strong branding and high short-term engagement but raises questions of long-term equity.

  "It was such a refreshing break from... being stuck in a family Thanksgiving... being lectured by your grandfather..." — John Kenny (32:44)

B. Breaking the Dullness of Auto Advertising (34:55–38:14)

• Panel Consensus: The auto category is “an epidemic of neutrality”—all specs, no story. Jeep is commended for bringing entertainment and emotional connection (Groundhog Day, Billy Bass/Fish, Grand Wagoneer).

• Branding/Education Balance: Humor and distinctiveness are strong in new Jeep ads, but some worry about lack of memorable product education (reliability, features), especially vs. high-consideration competitors.

  "Cheap... really, really high awareness. 7 out of 10 people who know the brand don't even put it on their shopping list." — Isaac Ciacki (34:30)

  "My only concern is it feels like really funny advertising and I would struggle to remember what brand actually did it." — John Kenny (34:30)

C. Data & Testing Takeaways (35:54–36:49)

• Quant Scores: Three-minute spot scored high for brand recognition (93%) and short-term sales potential; longer form suffered for emotional longevity. “Billy Bass” and “Groundhog Day” spots did best at long-term brand building by infusing humor and honest storytelling.

4. Lessons for Brands navigating Heritage & Modernity (40:02–44:51)

Levi’s: Heritage, Relevance, and Cultural Participation

• Strengths: Unmatched association and category ownership; respected for quality.

• Imperative: Move from just being “noticed” to being “felt.” Must participate in youth and social culture, not merely chase trends or rely solely on nostalgia/celebrity.

• Opportunity: Embed relevance through “lived, ongoing originality,” not by performing “youthfulness” or projecting nostalgia.

  “Performing youthfulness just isn’t going to work. Chasing trends with a Gen Z audience is not... going to build trust with them.” — Ashley Williams (43:20)

Jeep: Storytelling, Clarity, and Product-led Creativity

• Strengths: Distinctive, bold storytelling that breaks category conventions; emotional and humorous spots stand out.

• Challenge: Translate attention into consideration and sales—clarify who they’re for and link fun storytelling to real benefits (family, reliability, value).

• Imperative: Keep product central in storytelling; avoid being just “adjacent” to the car.

  "I think it's just really about just dialing up the product, making the product part of the story rather than adjacent to the story." — John Kenny (41:25)

Both Brands: Navigating the Evolving Meaning of Americana

• Big Picture: As both brands try to reassert themselves as emblems of “Americana,” the real opportunity is to earn credibility by showing what “Americana” means now—through action, not anthems.

  “It really comes down to credibility and the credibility that you earn. That feels like a really truly American concept.” — Ashley Williams (44:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On grand nostalgia vs. human moments:

  "What's striking, though, is the work that does connect...succeeds...by abandoning the grand narrative. It's relatable, it's joyful. It's not asking you to agree about what America means. It's just asking you to feel something small and human for a moment." — Fergus O’Carroll (01:23)

• On creative refreshing in auto ads:

  "I have to plug our work...We have an absolute epidemic of neutrality and the auto category is one of the worst offenders...commend Jeep for bringing humor and story." — Vanessa Chin (34:55)

• On the risk of product being lost in entertainment:

  "My only concern is it feels like really funny advertising and I would struggle to remember what brand actually did it." — John Kenny (34:30)

• On Levi’s and cultural resonance:

  "It's really hard to become...fashionable, when you effectively are the category." — Isaac Ciacki (13:56)

• On adapting the definition of progress:

  "Maybe we just need to recalibrate what progress looks like...this is about connection." — John Kenny (26:13)

Timestamps for Key Sections

• 00:47–02:30: Introduction and theme of polarization/heritage brands.
• 06:14–08:29: Levi’s historical journey and “Go Forth” era.
• 09:53–11:36: Levi’s post-COVID struggles, demographic shifts.
• 13:12–16:54: Campaign analysis—heritage, celebrity, emotional resonance data.
• 22:24–23:39: “The Floor is Yours,” category comparison, and youth struggles.
• 28:54–32:44: Jeep’s advertising evolution—earnestness vs. humor (Springsteen, Ford, Schlesinger).
• 34:30–36:49: Auto category’s sameness, Jeep’s emotional/humor-led breaks.
• 40:02–44:51: Final takes: what Levi’s and Jeep need to fix or build—the future of Americana branding.

Takeaways for Marketers

• In an atomized, polarized culture, heritage brands must shift from consensus-building “grand narratives” to sparking relatable, emotionally true moments.
• For Levi’s, future growth depends on creating culture (not chasing it) and building authentic emotional bonds—especially with young consumers.
• For Jeep, breakthrough entertainment and humor must be better anchored in product education/benefits to move beyond mere awareness to active consideration.
• Both brands reflect new tensions: how to be timeless symbols while staying vital—and credible—to rapidly shifting American identities.