LEVI’S AND AKQA BUILD A SOCIAL-FIRST ECOSYSTEM WITH BEHIND EVERY ORIGINAL

Levi’s partnered with AKQA to launch Behind Every Original, a social-first campaign that inverted the Super Bowl model, turning television into a spark for cultural storytelling across social platforms. Achieving 1.5 times higher interaction and 99 per cent positive sentiment, it redefined how a heritage brand earns relevance with a new generation.

Levi’s has redefined how a heritage brand connects with modern audiences through its Behind Every Original campaign, created in partnership with AKQA. By inverting the traditional Super Bowl model, the campaign transformed television from a destination into a spark for deeper storytelling across social platforms. This shift created a social-first ecosystem that resonated with a new generation, achieving 1.5 times higher interaction and 99 per cent positive sentiment.  

Rachel Sundberg, Senior Director Brand Marketing at Levi’s, said: “AKQA brought Behind Every Original to life across social in a way that felt deeply true to Levi’s and the campaign’s mission – celebrating the authentic voices that push culture forward. Their social-first thinking extended the campaign’s impact far beyond the advertising, turning a powerful brand idea into something that could spark real conversation.”  

For Levi’s, the challenge was not simply visibility but credibility. In a cultural landscape where authenticity is prized and traditional advertising is often met with scepticism, the brand sought to earn relevance by creating a platform for originality. The campaign invited cultural figures to share the stories behind their originality, bridging Levi’s rich history with the values of a discerning new generation. By moving from broadcast messaging to participatory storytelling, Levi’s demonstrated that every original has a backstory – and that heritage can be reimagined to inspire contemporary culture.