Levi's: -11%
Levi's and Levi Strauss are still powerful brands. Witness the company's decision to call its two-year old discount line, "Levi Strauss Signature." Both Levi's core "Red Tab" line and its Signature line use more than traditional mass marketing. Signature, for instance, which is battling private labels at discount chains, sponsors NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson.
And the Red Tab line, a middle-market brand that has been out-buzzed by upstarts like Diesel, recently launched long-form edgy, humorous online ads. One pokes fun at the "metrosexual" trend and positions Levi's 501 jeans as a no-nonsense jean you can count on. Covering both ends of the market, as well as the middle, with the Levi brand name is fraught with difficulty when it comers to marketing and product execution. Too much multitasking for a brand name can weaken it over time.