Levi’s used the Super Bowl spotlight to launch Behind Every Original, a new global campaign that celebrates cultural trailblazers by quite literally flipping the script. Debuting with the anthem film Backstory, directed by DGA Awards winner Kim Gehrig, the campaign showcases both global icons and everyday changemakers almost entirely from behind, letting their Levi’s tell the story before their faces ever do.
The creative idea is rooted in the most recognizable angle of Levi’s jeans: the backside. From the arcuate stitching to the Red Tab, this silhouette has signaled individuality for more than 150 years. By focusing on that perspective, the brand reframes originality as something worn, lived in, and earned rather than announced.
As Kenny Mitchell puts it, the campaign tells “a story only Levi’s can tell,” one that places the brand at the intersection of music, sport, fashion, and everyday life. Launching during the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium only amplifies that cultural resonance.
Backstory features a wide-ranging cast spanning generations and media, including Grammy winner Doechii, global pop star ROSÉ, NBA MVP and champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, filmmaker and musician Questlove, model Stefanie Giesinger, and even Woody.
Each appears in motion, captured through denim-clad backsides that dance, strut, and move through cultural moments both past and present. Visual nods range from George Michael’s Faith era swagger to a reimagined take on the Born in the U.S.A. album cover, reinforcing Levi’s long-standing presence across decades of cultural change.
Set to James Brown’s “Get Up Offa That Thing,” the film leans into joy and momentum, underscoring the idea that progress starts with movement. Shot over six days across Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, and London, the production emphasized authenticity by casting real cowboys, construction workers, climbers, and young creatives. Doechii’s closing dance sequence was crafted in collaboration with her choreographer Robbie Blue, adding a contemporary exclamation point to the spot. Watch below:
Following the Super Bowl, Levi’s will roll out a series of six-second reveal films spotlighting each Original, shifting the focus from celebrity recognition to personal expression and movement. The campaign will live across social, digital, in-store, and out-of-home, with photography capturing raw, behind-the-scenes moments of the cast stepping into their Levi’s and out into the world.
Developed in partnership with TBWA\Chiat\Day LA, Behind Every Original is anchored by Levi’s denim itself. From Doechii’s Low Slim Boot cut jeans to ROSÉ’s Loose Boot cut denim, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s baggy fits, Questlove’s classic 505s, and Giesinger’s Ribcage Slim jeans, the styling spans eras and silhouettes.
Custom pieces, including a bespoke denim jacket for Questlove and denim gloves for Gilgeous-Alexander, reinforce the campaign’s central idea: behind every original move forward is a story, and Levi’s has been there for generations of them.
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