(Operation Lifesaver issued the following news release on August 7.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Operation Lifesaver (OL), a nationwide, non-profit rail safety group, and its partners from the highway and rail safety communities today released a letter urging Levi Strauss to pull its latest television ad, “Horse,” because the commercial encourages risky behavior around trains.
“I don’t want to believe that Levi Strauss would intentionally produce an ad that would influence youth to put themselves in harm’s way,” Operation Lifesaver President Gerri Hall said. “However, this is exactly what this ad does. It trivializes the dangerous, illegal and all-too-often tragic activity of playing on railroad tracks.”
Ms. Hall noted the coalition’s particular concern since Levi produced another dangerous ad in 1999, “Train” that enticed young people to create their own cutoffs on the tracks.
The current ad features a brunette model on a dark horse coming out of a railroad tunnel. Stopping her steed in the middle of the tracks as a train rapidly approaches, she then rides directly into the path of a train. Miraculously, the model manages to fly over a multi-car train without a scratch.
OL’s coalition letter cites U.S. government figures showing more than 5,000 pedestrians have been killed since 1990 while trespassing on railroad tracks and property. Modern trains are quieter than in the past and they cannot stop quickly to swerve to avoid someone on the tracks.
In 1999, Levi produced “Trains,” which featured a fetching blond model who took off her jeans and placed them on the tracks for the train to make cutoffs. Members of Congress, Operation Lifesaver and the national Parent- Teacher organization petitioned Levi to remove that ad.
At the time, newly installed President of the U.S. Levi’s(R) brand Philip Marineau stated in a letter that Levi would pull the ad from its planned airing during the Super Bowl. In subsequent weeks, the company developed an edited version. Marineau indicated in 1999 that due to significant personnel changes all marketing and advertising strategies for the brand were being evaluated. The Federal Trade Commission consequently required Levi’s to edit the portion that demonstrated how to make shorts out of jeans; their concern was that teens and pre-teens would get on the tracks to mimic the ad.
Operation Lifesaver tells people who might be thinking of walking, riding, sitting or running on or near train tracks to “Stay Off! Stay Away! Stay Alive!” Pedestrian rail trespass deaths and injuries are preventable tragedies. With three decades of service, Operation Lifesaver is a nationwide, nonprofit safety education program dedicated to saving lives at highway-rail crossings and rail rights of way. A copy of the letter and signatories will be attached.
Gerri L. Hall, President of Operation Lifesaver, Inc., sent the following letter, dated Aug. 7, to Mr. Bob Haas, Chairman of Levi Strauss & Co. Signatories to the letter were Edward R. Hamberger of the Association of American Railroads; William W. Millar of the American Public Transportation Association; Chuck Emely of the American Railway Engineering & Maintenance of Way Associates; Stephen F. Campbell of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance; Barbara Harsha, Executive Director of Governors Highway Safety Association; Jennie Glasgow, Past President/Advisory Council of the National Assoc. of Women Highway Safety Leaders; M. Diane Elliott of the American Association of Private RR Car Owners, and Thomas D. Simpson of Railway Supply Institute.
We’re concerned that your latest TV spot “Horse” follows the same dangerous path as one of your previous ads. It features a lovely young woman using railroad tracks for personal recreational purposes — to sell jeans to an impressionable younger audience.
We realize that this ad, unlike the 1999 ad that showed another lovely young woman putting her jeans on the tracks to create cut-offs, may be intended as fantasy. However, long before viewers see the disclaimer at the end of this spectacular, digitally-produced stunt, they have witnessed the young horsewoman ride out of a railroad tunnel and park her steed right in the middle of the track with a rapidly approaching train. Both of these actions are illegal and highly dangerous, and could tempt viewers to emulate what looks like a cool activity — with deadly results.
U.S. government figures show that more than 5,000 pedestrians have been killed since 1990 while trespassing on railroad tracks and property. Trains are faster and quieter than you might think, and they cannot stop quickly or swerve to avoid someone on the tracks.
Operation Lifesaver, a nationwide, non-profit railroad safety education program, tells people who might be thinking of walking, riding, sitting or running on or near train tracks to “Stay Off! Stay Away! Stay Alive!” Pedestrian rail trespass deaths and injuries are preventable tragedies.
In 1999, after receiving complaints about the previous Levi’s commercial from a coalition of safety partners including Operation Lifesaver, Members of Congress and the national Parent-Teachers organization, you responded by modifying the ad.
The undersigned organizations respectfully submit that with “Horse,” the only responsible action would be to pull the ad entirely — the disclaimer notwithstanding.
I look forward to your response.