It might be time to crown Levi's the king of viral video. Sure, Old Spice currently has a runaway hit on its hands, but Levi's continues to make viral videos that many consumers probably don't realize are branded.
Take a look at the company's latest, "Guy Walks Across America," which has been viewed 1.8 million times in the past three weeks.
Did you notice the Levi's branding? In case you missed it, here it is.
Pretty subtle, huh? There's no mention of Levi's on the video's YouTube page, and Mashable didn't realize the brand tie-in when it first reported on the video nine days ago.
Two years ago the denim outfitter had a similar hit with "Jeans Jump," a clip of men acrobatically jumping into jeans that looked as if it was filmed on a consumer video camera. One reason Levi's is so successful when it comes to viral is the amateurish quality of its videos, a trick that makes each ad look like it was made by consumers. Sure, "Guy Walks Across America" relies heavily on a fancy production trick, but an accompanying Google Map and making-of video make it appear that the video is the result of a few dudes out having fun.
This strategy also makes you wonder if Levi's has ever launched a viral dud. After all, if no one ever uncovers the brand connection, a failed viral video just gets swept under the rug and the brand moves on.
what's next? shout-outs to brands that don't market at all? if subtlety is the holy grail let's go right to the money shot and give awards for complete silence.