Dude, this is a great ad campaign on several levels, and all the bitching and whining of the rest of y'all about the exploitation of great art or, alternatively, the alleged inefficacy of these ads in generating actual sales ain't gonna change that.

The ads are memorable, they generate chatter (obviously), they create a mood and have a feel that is high-minded, and stirring, and epic (to steal a couple of Stevenson's own adjectives). The first time I saw one I was pretty f'ing blown away by it -- (well, ok, blown away may be a bit hyperbolic when we're talking about television, an in particular a t.v. ad -- but you get my point).

As for the exploitation/whatever of Whitman, well, whatever. I understand the point about the damage to art when it crosses with the commercial, but I've never been entirely swayed. Why can't art exist (and be appreciated) independent of whatever commecial motivation there is that may (and almost invariably does) have played a role in its creation/transmission/whatever­? In the immediate case, the entire advertisement plays before the Levi's logo pops up. Sure, savvy viewers may catch on to what is going on well before then, but this is more their own issue than a sin of what's on the screen. For everyone else, it's kind of interesting to contemplate whether and to what degree Whitman's words, originally written as exhortations to the generation that fought the Civil War, might apply to/resonate with/have meaning for today's youth.

To me, the ad takes art and asks us to reconsider it today. That, to me, is ENHANCING art, not exploting it.

As for the notion that the ad won't bring buyers into stores, I won't waste much airtime, except to note that it seems to me that these are brand/image building ads. That is, they are designed to create an aura, a mood, that will make young people interested in the Levi's brand. This is perhaps too subtle/forward-looking a strategy for some of you direct (simple?)-minded folks who think the best advertisements are those that go something like: "Miller Lite tastes great, is less filling, and is on sale for $10.99 a case at your local Quickie-Mart! Go buy some now!"

You guys go enjoy your Miller Lite. And me, I'll enjoy my Whitman, with or without Levi's...

The image the ads are building is of an American product. Levi's jeans are not made in America. Whitman has been called many things, but not hypocritical. Problem? Yeah. "Whatever"? Whatever.