Levi’s “Go Forth” campaign launched in the summer of 2009 and I can still watch the spots and be as moved as I was the first time I saw them. The imagery is beautiful and using what is believed to be actual audio of  Walt Whitman reading his poem “America” is both eerie and exciting. For a more in-depth look at the spot, check out Slate’s review.

My favorite part of this campaign, however, was its online initiative which was called The New Declaration (link is no longer active). Users were asked to submit their own text, images, audio, and video to help create a gallery collecting our ideas of what America means to us. Too often you hear big brands say they really want to embrace user-submitted content to enhance their campaigns and then never follow through because they are scared of what users might submit. So, props to Levi’s and Wieden + Kennedy for putting together this wonderfully executed and engaging campaign. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.