Dive Brief:
- Levi’s is embracing old-school animation techniques for a holiday campaign inspired by its past marketing, according to a press release.
- “Let’s Get Fuzzy” features a 60-second stop-motion claymation spot that sees a yeti find community and acceptance —and fuzzy sweaters— after stumbling upon a remote cabin. The outfits shown in the ad are sculpted versions of pieces from the brand’s holiday collection.
- The campaign comes as consumers are increasingly barraged with generative artificial intelligence, including in advertising. The effort will span digital, social and retail channels.
Dive Insight:
Levi’s is taking inspiration from a 30-year-old campaign for its holiday effort. “Let’s Get Fuzzy” serves as a call back to the 1995 ad “Clayman,” the brand’s first global commercial and the first full-length spot completely shot in claymation, according to the brand. The brand’s decision to leverage claymation — which is considered to be incredibly labor intensive — could be welcomed by consumers, the majority of whom are growing tired of AI-generated content, particularly in advertising.
The 60-second video opens on a remote cabin in a snow-covered wilderness where friends are enjoying a holiday gathering. The night takes a turn as a ferocious yeti named Gus tries to break into the cabin before successfully running through the wall. Right when all hope seems to be lost, one of the characters throws a red sweater at the yeti in an apparent act of self defense. However, the sweater fits Gus perfectly, stopping his rampage and leading him to join the party as a welcomed guest.
The campaign, which launched two days after Halloween, meshes holiday aesthetics with vibes of the spooky season with its framing and soundtrack choice, akin to cult classics like “Dead Snow.” The video required four hours of filming for each second of animation, and the set and characters were made by hand, according to press details. No AI was used in the filming process, per the brand.
The collection is available via the brand’s website and app, as well as at select retail locations.
“Our Levi’s Let’s Get Fuzzy campaign was an opportunity to experiment with immersive and tactile world-building,” said Kenny Mitchell, global CMO at Levi’s, in press materials. “Anchored by a film created entirely with stop-motion claymation, it’s also the celebration of the craft and human creativity synonymous with the Levi’s brand.”
Generative AI has become an increasingly common tool for marketers as the industry looks to cut costs and meet the demands of an ever-evolving cultural landscape. However, cost savings and quick turnaround times come at a price. Consumers routinely find AI creative as “annoying,” “boring” and often “confusing,” according to a 2024 study by NielsenIQ. Half of consumers prefer brands that don’t use generative AI in advertising and other forward-facing messaging, per a 2026 Gartner study.
Levi’s isn’t the only company looking to use handcrafted creatives this holiday season. E.l.f. and Prada also launched handmade, stop-motion style holiday campaigns. Retail giants Walmart and Target both launched their campaigns before Halloween. The holiday shopping window has continued to get earlier as consumers hunt for the best value amid budgetary pressure.
Parent Levi Strauss & Co. reported a third-quarter revenue of $1.6 billion, a 4% year-over-year increase, according to an earnings release. Michelle Gass, CEO, president and director of Levi Strauss, noted on an earnings call that there has been less brand-building moments this year and that the brand’s back-to-school campaign did not generate the anticipated demand and traffic. The company plans to deepen its marketing investments and place more of a focus on mid-funnel marketing, according to Gass.
