Brand: Lee
Agency: ArnoldNYC
John Staffen – Chief Creative Officer
Pete Scudese – Broadcast Producer
Ken Ferris – Creative Director/AD
Matt Guerra – Creative Associate/Copywriter
Raquel Duarte – Print Producer
Production
Supply & Demand
Greg Popp – Director
Bob Gantz – Director of Photography
Henri Dragonas - Producer
Philipp Von Heffen – Photographer
Dennis Nadalin - DP, WEB VIDEOS
Editorial
Homestead Editorial
Charly Bender – Editor
Lauren Cancelosi – Producer
Music
JSM Music
Ross Hopman – Producer
Mike Rowe has teamed up with Lee Jeans to share his common-sense philosophy on denim – a straight-forward approach that mirrors the 120-year-old brand known for its authentic quality. Rowe, creator and star of the Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs,” is not shy about what he looks for in a pair of blue jeans. "It's pretty simple," said Rowe. "They should last. They should fit. They should fade. They should never cost more than fifty bucks. And they should be blue."
Rowe's attitude about shopping for jeans will be central to the campaign. "Frankly, I've never understood the whole notion of jamming yourself into a dressing room with an armful of new styles to find the ‘perfect look,’” said Rowe. “And from what I've seen, I'm not alone. The guys I know aren't going to spend a hundred dollars on a pair of pants with rhinestones and fake stains and zippers to nowhere. And don't even get me started on jeans with rips and holes already in them. Madness."
The partnership and new ad campaign will include Mike sharing his perspective on jeans shopping and being featured in Lee’s new Premium Select, which retail for $42 at Lee.com, Kohl’s, JCPenney and Sears. Ads featuring Mike in the jeans will debut in print, broadcast and online on Aug. 16. Additionally, Mike and Lee will be launching a new website, shopphobia.com, where Mike says enough is enough – he has Shop Phobia and isn’t going to take it anymore.
“We don’t view our partnership with Mike as your typical spokesperson scenario,” said Liz Cahill, vice president of marketing and communications at Lee Jeans. “It is a collaborative relationship in the truest sense, and we are excited to see how it will evolve.”
Before the partnership even began, Cahill discovered that Mike shared many of the same philosophies and values as the Lee brand through Mike’s website mikeroweWORKS.com, making it clear that Mike was the perfect partner. Lee believed in Mike’s cause so much that it was one of the first organizations to make a donation to the mikeroweWORKS foundation, which promotes the skilled trades in communities around the country.
“We were very intrigued by Mike, specifically his honesty, fun nature and appreciation for hard work,” said Cahill. “The values he possesses are not unlike the values of the Lee brand, and we were interested in beginning a partnership with him that would communicate our mutual respect.”