Gallery/Performance Space/Store/Website
New York, NY

The Background
In 1999 Levi Strauss & Co. was looking to strengthen brand loyalty among New York’s artistic community. Pompei A.D. was commissioned to conceive, manage and produce a six-week long Pop-Up experience consisting of art exhibitions and live events in New York City. This Pop-Up experience was among the first of its kind, and has since been adopted by brands like Target and Nike. The Client
Founded in 1853 by the Bavarian immigrant who gave the company its name, Levi Strauss & Co. has sales in over 110 counties and is one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel marketers.

The Concept
The inspiration for the project came from Levi’s tag line “Always Original,” and the Pompei A.D. philosophy of Commerce, Culture and Community. With this in mind, Pompei A.D. enlisted a group of New York’s emerging cultural leaders, including fashion designers, performing artists, filmmakers and musicians, to create a community exhibit space where New York’s many art scenes could converge.

The Design
Pompei A.D. applied a three-tired strategy in conceiving, managing and producing this initiative.
At the public level, the firm produced a website and attractions guide to the emerging Nolita neighborhood. In addition, Pompei A.D. developed advertising and PR campaigns for the project and coordinated Levi’s sponsorship of the Downtown Arts Festival (an annual not-for-profit cultural event). At the experiential level, Pompei A.D. designed and managed a temporary, multifunctional space that functioned as retail store, art gallery and performance venue. At the community level, the firm created a series of experiences in which the public got to interact with the creative community while simultaneously experiencing the Levi’s brand.

The Result
This innovative integration of Commerce, Culture and Community established a dialogue between Levi Strauss & Co. and the thought leaders of the downtown arts community, helping to make the Levi Strauss & Co. brand relevant to a new group of consumers.

The monumental success of this initial project led Levi Strauss & Co. to roll out many similar venues in Europe and the USA.