"Lee Jeans Branding Campaigns", Willoughby Design Lookbook, Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards
Date
Credits
- Willoughby Design 11 Agency
- Ann Willoughby 12 Creative Director
- Nicole Satterwhite 9 Art Director
- Deb Tagtalianidis Design Director
- Tim Pott 2 Photographer
- Lee Corporate Copywriter
- Michelle Sonderegger Designer
Format
- Packaging 444
- Book 1102
- Multimedia Installation 4
Techniques
- offset lithography 689
- digital printing 63
- photography 167
Locations Made
- United States 1053
- Kansas City 7
- Missouri 12
Links
Tracing its roots back to 1889, Lee Jeans was established by Henry David Lee in Salina, Kansas. Originally a workwear manufacturer, the company produced the rugged jackets and dungarees essential for the labor of that era. By 1920, the brand introduced Buddy Lee, a mascot whose flirty eyes and cheeky grin made him a pioneer of American advertising characters…an icon that remains recognizable over a century later.
In 1999, Willoughby Design partnered with Fallon Worldwide and Lee’s internal marketing team to reintroduce Buddy Lee as the "spokesfigure" for a new product line: Lee Dungarees. Our studio developed the brand identity and collateral for the "Can’t Bust ‘Em" campaign, which utilized award-winning, irreverent television spots to capture the elusive youth market. The television commercials produced by Fallon Worldwide, featured Buddy Lee emerging unscathed from various catastrophic stunts, effectively cementing his status as a pop culture legend. This revival turned vintage 1920s figurines into highly prized collectibles. Willoughby’s contributions included the comprehensive design of campaign assets, ranging from stationery and booklets to in-store merchandising and apparel such as T-shirts and hangtags.