The Speed of Culture Podcast

True Blue: How Levi's Remains an American Original with Contemporary Cachet

Host: Matt Britton (Founder & CEO, Suzy)
Guest: Kenny Mitchell (Global Chief Marketing Officer, Levi Strauss & Co.)
Date: December 2, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores how Levi’s—an enduring American icon—continues to evolve and stay at the center of culture while honoring its 170-year heritage. Kenny Mitchell, Levi’s Global CMO, delves into the strategies that balance legacy and innovation, from celebrity collaborations and subculture engagement to leveraging AI and data for consumer connection. The discussion also touches on Mitchell’s leadership philosophy, key lessons from his career, and the mindset behind “the standard is the standard” mantra.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Balancing Heritage with Cultural Relevance

• Levi’s Versatility:
  Mitchell describes Levi’s as an “unofficial uniform for people that are driving progress and game changers, move makers, people that are driving their world forward” [00:49, 02:28].
  • Quote: “We pay homage to our past and our history... while look towards the future and showcase…how the brand is incredibly relevant right now for consumers around the world.” – Kenny Mitchell [02:28]
• Elasticity and Democracy:
  The brand’s flexibility is highlighted; Levi’s is seen on Fashion Week runways, in partnerships with Nike, and with deep roots in both high fashion and blue-collar/workwear communities [03:20–04:28].

2. Staying at the Center of Culture: Partnerships & Subcultures

• Celebrity Collaborations:
  Iconic partnerships (Beyoncé, Shabuzzi, Nike) put Levi’s in the cultural foreground. These moves are intentional, aimed at associating Levi’s with “the center of culture” [05:19].
  • Quote: “It’s just as likely you’ll find us partnering with Colors…or the Boiler Room…as it is to see us with Beyoncé. And it makes sense because we’re a brand that has that type of elasticity.” – Kenny Mitchell [06:18]
• Creator Economy:
  Levi’s keeps a foot in both traditional celebrity influence and modern creator-driven subcultures, targeting both mass and niche audiences [05:19–07:05].

Importance of Authenticity in Partnerships

• Conviction in Big Bets:
  When evaluating partnerships like Beyoncé’s, Levi’s seeks strong alignment with business strategy and authentic brand-fan connections.
  • Business goals include staying centered in culture, focusing on D2C, winning with women, and amplifying the global brand [07:19–09:17].
  • Authentic connections: “Levi’s and Beyoncé have been connected in some way for decades… So you get those two ingredients and that gives you some good confidence that there could be a successful marriage.” – Kenny Mitchell [09:10]

3. Consumer Trends & the Rapid Pace of Change

• Multiple Style Trends at Once:
  Mitchell notes how the acceleration of trend cycles through digital platforms means “your connection to style... you just have more access to it and more frequent access to it. And culture moves more quickly now than it ever has” [10:04].
  • Baggy, skinny, boot-cut, bell-bottoms, cropped—all co-exist, creating both opportunity and focus challenges [10:49].
• Brand Resilience:
  Levi’s legacy and trust have helped it weather cycles, including the pandemic. Consumers “gravitate to brands that they trust and brands that deliver quality and brands that kind of represent them in their identity” [11:40].

4. Shifting Norms in Work and Self-Expression

• Casualization of the Workplace:
  Post-pandemic return to work is more casual, expanding Levi’s relevance in officewear and everyday style [13:13].
  • Quote: “It’s been a great opportunity for the Levi’s team to help to be a part of that.” – Kenny Mitchell [13:22]

5. Storytelling in the Digital Age

• Essentials of Brand Storytelling:
  Despite changes in media, storytelling’s “importance and power” remain as a means to “build brand love, get attention... and drive commerce” [14:01].
• Two Key Frameworks:
  • Unexpected & Highly Relevant: Levi’s seeks ideas that are “unexpected and highly relevant” for their audience (e.g., Martha Stewart & Snoop partnership as an archetype) [15:03].
  • CASE (Creative, Authentic, Strategic, Emotional):
    • Creative: Interesting, insightful, and novel
    • Authentic: True to both brand and consumer
    • Strategic: Directly addresses the business objective
    • Emotional: Generates real feelings (inspiration, aspiration, joy)
    • Quote: “Creativity without a strategy is art…and not in the business of making art…The last is emotion. It has to make you feel something.” – Kenny Mitchell [16:04]

6. Data, D2C, and the Role of AI

• Data-Driven Marketing:
  Levi’s leverages D2C data for deeper insights—CRM, loyalty, transaction analytics—to become more efficient and effective [18:13–18:36]:
  • AI is deployed to enhance personalization, targeting, content development, automation, and workstream efficiency.
  • Example: Personalized CRM messaging at scale, powered by AI, has improved business impact [18:36–20:25].
• Future of Personalization:
  Gen Z and Gen Alpha will “expect that brands talk to them as an audience of one” due to hyper-personalization capabilities [20:25–21:57].

7. Leadership & Career Lessons

• Teamwork Mindset:
  Mitchell’s background as a point guard infuses his leadership—focus on making others better, preparation, hard work, being both a leader and a follower, embracing diversity [22:45–25:41].
  • Quote: “Good teammates…put in the effort first and foremost…selfless, focused on the core goal, but also have, like, a bit of selfishness…want to feel that fulfillment.” – Kenny Mitchell [24:25]
• Curiosity & Authenticity:
  Values team members “constantly curious and trying to learn,” combined with honesty and passion [24:47].

8. Zigging While Others Zag

• Career Decisions:
  Mitchell attributes growth to taking calculated risks (e.g., pioneering Gatorade’s expansion into action sports), learning from new and uncomfortable arenas [26:28–30:17].
  • Quote: “There have been other pivots I’ve made in my career…that almost in some ways represented a zig or a different approach…And that has actually paid off incredibly well for me.” – Kenny Mitchell [29:20]

9. Personal Mantra: “The Standard is the Standard”

• Origin & Application:
  Mitchell adopts Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers mantra for life and business:
  • Quote: “Regardless of circumstances, the standard is the standard…We have to live up to that standard. We have to live up to that legacy. So we can’t let good enough be the answer.” – Kenny Mitchell [31:23, 33:32]
• Aspirational Leadership:
  He expects himself and his team to always strive for work that measures up to the heritage of iconic brands [33:49].

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Brand Elasticity:
  “It’s a brand that’s incredibly elastic and it’s a fun thing from a marketer’s perspective.” – Kenny Mitchell [04:28]
• On Storytelling:
  “Creativity without a strategy is art, and not in the business of making art.” – Kenny Mitchell [16:03]
• On Personalization:
  “The expectation is that things will be more and more personalized…that will become kind of the commonplace expectation.” – Kenny Mitchell [21:21]
• On Career Advice:
  “I zigged while others zagged.” – Kenny Mitchell [26:28]
• On Leadership:
  “Good teammates put in the effort first and foremost…also have this mindset connected to this common good.” – Kenny Mitchell [24:25]
• Mantra:
  “The standard is the standard.” – Kenny Mitchell [31:23, 33:32]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Brand Heritage vs. Modernity: [02:28–04:28]
• Celebrity and Subculture Strategies: [05:19–07:05]
• The Beyoncé Partnership: [07:19–09:31]
• Emerging Style Trends & Consumer Shifts: [09:51–11:19]
• Workplace Casualization: [13:13–13:30]
• Brand Storytelling Framework: [14:01–17:04]
• AI and Personalization in Marketing: [18:13–21:57]
• Teaming and Leadership Lessons: [22:45–26:28]
• Career “Zigging” Philosophy: [26:28–30:17]
• Personal Mantra, “The Standard is the Standard”: [31:23–33:49]

Tone & Language

The episode balances warm, conversational storytelling with optimistic leadership insights. Mitchell’s tone is motivational, honest, and rooted in both data-driven reasoning and creative, cultural intuition.

“We have to live up to that standard. We have to live up to that legacy. So we can’t let good enough be the answer…We should be at all times aspiring to do the best work of our careers.”
— Kenny Mitchell [33:32]

This summary captures the episode’s rich insights, notable moments, and actionable wisdom for anyone interested in brand leadership, consumer culture, and the evolving role of marketers in a fast-moving world.