A topical style for summer

A GENT called Levi Strauss gave the world the first pair of denims in the 1860s. Well, that's History.

Six years ago, the MNC brand entered good old India. That's Geography.

The brand today is the ``market leader in the premium jeans segment in India''. That's Mathematics or Statistics, if you like.

Waking up to the need of the hot Indian summer, the company recently launched its `Summer of Desire' campaign. Sheer Chemistry?

Yup, the relationship between matter, in this case denim and desire, grows more intense with heat. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, when you buy, you win. Physics.

Over to Literature now. ``Levi's is the most definitive source of jeanswear. When you buy Levi's you get two things - emotional comfort and an avenue for self-expression,'' says Suman Jaya Chatterjee, General Manager of Marketing, Levi Strauss India.

Anthropology. Levi's, as a brand, he affirms, recognises that people are different. ``The brand thinks like a consumer. We know that the consumer, while spending something like a thousand rupees, would want a durable product,'' says Suman.

``But fashion, is something that changes every now and then. That's why, if you notice, Levi has a range which can be worn in more ways than one - detachables, convertibles and the whole range of Streetwear. That's how we are intrusive,'' he adds. Oh, Social Science.

Also, the brand, he says, goes beyond fashion. ``Levi's is about mobility, technology, entertainment and dreams. That's why the summer collection is not just a set of new clothes. But of opportunities, with which youth could fulfil their dreams,'' the Marketing Manager explains the summer deal. Psychology, huh?

The buzz is that when you buy Levi's jean this summer, you get an accessory free. You are entitled to participate in whacko contests which might make you win the likes of Superbikes from Ducati of Italy, Kawasaki Ninja, Yamaha R1 and Yamaha Thunderace from Japan, Apple iMacs and hi-end music systems like Jamo speakers, Onkyo players and Denon digital receivers. Wow! That's Marketing.

But it's more than the usual baiting. ``We aren't giving refrigerators or the usual freebies away. That's how we stand out. We have strong traits as a brand - we are authentic, we are honest (as in you buy a jean and you have it for life), we are cool and sexy. What we want to do is make our brand more sociable and intrusive,'' explains Suman. What language!

Levi's does not launch a product without getting a `Wow' response after test-marketing, he says. ``We're not just a set of merchandisers. Our strength is innovation. We believe in giving value for money garments along with a set of trends. Levi's is about an experience and not just jeans,'' he adds. Moral Science?

``Anybody can get into the brand for as less as Rs. 249,'' says Suman. You get a Levi's mobile pouch for that kind of money or a Floppy Hat for a little more. You can buy yourself a jean that promises to last a lifetime, for a minimum of Rs. 999.

That's Economics.

By Sudhish Kamath

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