LS&Co. Unzipped

Welcome to our blog. Here’s where you’ll find a “behind-the-seams” look at what’s going on with Levi Strauss & Co. You’ll hear from a variety of voices, from both inside and outside the company. And you have the chance to share your thoughts. So read on — and weigh in!

Aug 11 2010

Marketing vs. Sincerity

A few weeks back, the first of the Levi’s® Workshops opened its doors for a two-month run. Focused on the craft of print, it’s located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

The workshop has played host to thousands of visitors interested in printmaking. Some come for classes and others wander in and start playing around on classic letterpress machinery. And learning.

Like any effort by a company the size of this one, some folks loved the idea, and others, well, not so much. Take, for instance, the pictures of the workshop on the Uptown Almanac blog taken after a graffiti artist struck.

As for evidence of the love, or, at least, the skeptically objective, there’s this post by blogger Nathalie Roland.

With all this in mind, the quote from artist Stefan Sagmeister in today’s New York Times Style blog provided an interesting perspective:

“Sometimes when corporations do philanthropic projects, if you don’t know the corporation well, there’s always a question of: Is it sincere or is it only marketing? When I was a student, I was quite cynical when it came to philanthropic endeavors from big corporations. [Since then], I’ve seen a number of corporations whose people truly believe in causes very close to their hearts. I feel that is the case with the people at Levi’s.”

To be sure, Sagmeister has earned some money from the Levi’s® brand. See this previous Unzipped post. And his current installation in New York. So some would argue he cannot be completely objective.

Still, when you know that San Francisco Bay Area non-profits are benefiting from the first of the Levi’s® Workshops, and that folks – like my 9-year-old son – have had their first-ever experience with a 100-plus-year-old printing press, even if you have your doubts about big business and do-goodery, it’s hard to be completely negative.

Still have your doubts? Check out this video...

Posted By: Cory Warren, Editor, LS&Co. Unzipped

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