In July 2012, Levi Strauss, a clothing company that specializes in jeans, launched an ad campaign called “Go Forth” that targets their youth audience. This ad depicts a male model, sprawled on a bed of grass, covering his face with his arm. He is decked out in dust-crusted Levi-wear, as if he had just fallen. The ad is overlaid with text: “WILL WORK FOR BETTER TIMES.”

See also this entry from another Levi’s advertisement.

discussion

What does the text on this ad mean? Think about the economic context in which this was produced. What is the broader meaning of the ad with respect to American society?

What are some of the core values that Americans prioritize when they think about work in society? In what ways does this advertisement play off of these values and assumptions of its audience?