SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE via COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--May 25, 2006--Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&CO.) has launched a new corporate Web site at: www.levistrauss.com. The site provides consumers, students, potential employees, news media, investors and anyone interested in Levi Strauss and Co.'s rich, 153-year history with easy access to current and historical information about the company.
The site, designed by global marketing-services company Arc Worldwide, was created to give visitors a more contemporary window on the company that created the original blue jean and changed the way people dress worldwide.
"We are offering people around the world a more engaging online experience and easier access to information about Levi Strauss & Co., its powerful brands and its unique culture," said Cathy Chuplis, Director of Worldwide Communications. "Consumers have a strong affinity for our brands, but many are surprised to learn more about our distinguished history of social responsibility and our corporate culture."
In addition to a general overview of Levi Strauss & Co., the site features information about each of the company's three global brands -- Levi's(R), Dockers(R) and Levi Strauss Signature(R). The site also provides easy navigation for visitors who are looking to purchase LS&CO. products online.
A new feature of levistrauss.com is an extensive "Heritage" section that provides consumers, students and researchers with information about LS&CO.'s century-and-a-half history of innovation. The section spans from the company's California Gold Rush origins in 1853 to the invention of blue jeans in 1873 to groundbreaking employment and citizenship initiatives throughout the second half of the 20th century. For example, the company timeline includes LS&CO.'s leadership in integrating factories in the Southern United States before desegregation was mandated by federal law.
The Heritage section also includes a new area for students and teachers who want to learn about the history of blue jeans or the founding of the company. This area features several documents written by company historian Lynn Downey, including: "The invention of blue jeans by Levi Strauss & Co. in 1873," "A biography of founder Levi Strauss," "A history of everyone's favorite fabric: denim," and "The history of the Levi's(R) 501(R) jean."
Another new feature of the Heritage section is called "Letters to Levi's(R)," offering a glimpse into the company's collection of more than 80 years of consumer letters preserved in the corporate archives. The letters were sent to the company by people from all walks of life, from movie stars such as Cary Grant and Clint Eastwood to consumers who simply wanted to express why they love Levi's(R) jeans. In one letter sent in 1969, a consumer from Savannah, Ga., wrote to attest to the durability of Levi's(R) Sta-Prest(R) pants after wearing his pair for 109 consecutive days while locked in solitary confinement in a jail in Havana, Cuba.
A 1958 letter from Cary Grant asks that the company keep him apprised of new developments in the company's shirt line: "My temerity is at a low ebb today, but I venture to ask that you let me know if Levi Strauss ever evolve(s) a line of absolutely plain un-checked, un-metal-threaded, absolutely solid-colored shirts ... no matter what the colors: I will rush to the nearest shop."
The new Web site includes a substantially expanded section about the company's historic commitment to corporate citizenship and ethical business practices. The "Citizenship" section includes information about the company's groundbreaking Global Sourcing and Operating Guidelines. Introduced in 1991, these guidelines formed the first comprehensive contractor "code of conduct" put in place by a multinational company and became a model for thousands of codes that have been established since. The guidelines have evolved over the years as global trade has evolved. The current edition can be viewed on the site, along with details about how the code is implemented in an increasingly complex, global economy.
The Citizenship section also features details about the company's historic commitment to philanthropy and community involvement. One area outlines the Levi Strauss Foundation's strategic grant-making programs that address preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, helping the poor build assets and strengthening workers' rights worldwide. Another area provides an overview of company- and employee-initiated community volunteer and giving efforts. A series of case studies describe real-world examples of how LS&CO. has demonstrated its commitment to responsible business practices by addressing difficult labor, business and social issues.
The site's "News" and "Financial" sections have been enhanced to give news reporters and investors quick access to company news and financial information. In addition to posting the company's latest press releases, the News section now offers story ideas that tap into emerging fashion trends or the newest product and marketing initiatives of the Levi's(R), Dockers(R) and Levi Strauss Signature(R) brands. The updated Financial section provides visitors with easy access to the company's financial press releases, SEC filings and other financial reports and information. The site also includes a new feature that allows investors to sign up for automatic e-mail notification whenever the company issues financial news.
"We receive a lot of inquiries from people around the world who want to know more about our products and the company," added Chuplis. "We believe that this new Web site will provide answers to many of those questions and give visitors a fun experience while learning about the company that gave the world blue jeans."
Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel marketers with 2005 sales of $4.1 billion.
