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Ayman HelwehAyman Helweh
On: May 9, 08
2,222 Trends
2,564 Comments

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Stealth Viral Ads Edit

Did Levi's Dupe Us with "Guys Backflip into Jeans"?



Stealth Viral Ads - Did Levi's Dupe Us with
Did Levi's Dupe Us with "Guys Backflip into Jeans"?
5,136 Views - Click for Larger Image

My suspicion radar went off recently when Trendhunter featured a recent YouTube viral video, Guys backflip into jeans , when I saw it had been uploaded by a new username hosting only this video.

Now I am happy to find I was not the only skeptical one. Gawker brands it as a stealth ad for Levi’s jeans.

The dead giveaway? In addition to the YouTube username being “unbuttonedfilms”, you can hear a dialog line at 0:36 of the video saying: “At least there’s no zipper.”

Couple this with the fact that Levi’s is the only jeans brand that uses “zipperless” advertising for their buttoned jeans, and you have yourself (a not so) stealth advertisement without brand mention.

What seems to seal the deal is that the jeans video follows the exact formula of another stealth ad that went viral exactly one year ago (6 May 2007 vs 5 May 2008). Uploaded by a new username “neverhidefilms”, The Guy catches glasses with face went viral with three million views before it was officially revealed as a stealth Ray-Ban ad by Josh Warner, president of The Feed Company, the creative team behind it.


Trend Hunter was one of the many blogs and sites that fell for the trick!

Stupid Viral People Tricks - Dude Backflips Into Pants (VIDEO)

What is people’s fascination with watching other people do stupid things? This video shows guys trying to jump and land in their pants, specifically, they’re trying to do back flips and then land with their legs in holes. It's ridiculous, but for whatever reason, people are fascinated by it, and as … [More]

The stories are the same: A simple trick to establish what we're watching. Then increasingly elaborate iterations, culminating in a stunt so dramatic that it requires a slow-motion replay. The music is the same: A cool innocuous background beat loosely timed to the action. The editing is the same: Quick pacing. Slick with dramatic angles, but calculatedly rugged with lingering shots on the guys congratulating each other. The packaging is the same: Ray-Ban's ad was posted by "neverhidefilms," a YouTube user with no previous videos. The new Levi's ad comes from "unbuttonedfilms," another first-time user. The new ad is one day shy of coming a year after the old ad. The titles are analagous: "Guy catches glasses with face" versus "Guys backflip into jeans." No product is mentioned. (gawker)

References: gawker

2 Comments: on Stealth Viral Ads








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FOUR WAYS TO REACT: vote, favorite, add more examples of Stealth Viral Ads or add your comment about Did Levi's Dupe Us with Guys Backflip into Jeans ?.


Right on Ayman, rockstar Trend Hunter AND super sleuth!

By: Bianca Bartz on May 9, 08   4,203 Trends   2,795 Comments
ah, u reminded me to watch the new jude law movie, sleuth :)

By: Ayman Helweh on May 9, 08   2,222 Trends   2,564 Comments
Favorited by Melanie Baux on May 12, 08
Favorited by Chris Bellinger on May 13, 08

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