Faye D'Souza inspires women to shape their own world in Levi's latest campaign

In the sixth season of Levi’s #IShapeMyWorld, the campaign has evolved into a year-long digital initiative featuring the stories of influential women. The clothing brand has collaborated with seven influencers from different backgrounds and communities to spark a conversation and inspire others. Though from diverse fields, they are connected by the fact that they are challenging what society expects from them, and are shaping the world on their own terms.

The campaign started on Women’s Day (March 8) this year with Seema Samridhi, an advocate, sharing her story. Recently Faye D’Souza, an independent journalist, shared a video on Instagram speaking on how she shapes her world.

Chosen to be a part of the campaign for her feminist, unbiased voice, she speaks about her disillusionment with the media industry and how she stepped out of it to become a strong independent voice.

In a post shared by Levi’s on their official page, we see D’Souza speaking about how at the age of 18 she felt that journalism was her calling. Keeping with her bold avatar, she says, “News, as it is today, lacks dignity, and I want to bring dignity back to news.”

After quitting her job at Mirror Now, she consistently posts news on her Instagram handle every day and even runs a daily news bulletin ‘Just the News’. She believes in sharing just fact-based information without opinions and bias.

The post:

 https://www.instagram.com/p/CNmhHU9qRa4/

“You cannot wake up in the morning and do this job unless you believe that you can change the world. And by doing that consistently on an everyday basis, with your conscience in the right place, you can change things. Yes, you can change the world,” she says in her video.

D’Souza has a big following on social media, especially among the youth. At a time of fake news, she is known to be a credible source on news on Instagram. The influencers chosen for the campaign stand out for being risk-taking, game-changing, and rule-breaking women. She ticks all the boxes here. The fact that she has created a following for herself outside the corporate media world makes her an ideal representation of someone who shaped her own world.

Presented in a storytelling format, the video engages you in the conversation and the narrative. The brand has collaborated with SheThePeopleTV for live Instagram engagements.

“2021 is a year of optimism, even as the pandemic continues to disrupt lives across the world, we have seen many examples of women leading the way and bring change not just for themselves but for everyone around them. It is important to recognise and to continue the focus and conversation around women empowerment,” reads a statement issued by the brand.

“More than ever, the Levi’s brand is connecting with more women. The #IShapeMyWorld campaign was conceptualised in 2017 to showcase women who are changing the world in ways both big and small. Through the seasons, we have shown the importance of taking a stand when it comes to the social issues of the day. We want to create a platform for women to add their voice, make an impact, and inspire others. Through this year’s campaign, our hope is to introduce these women to the audience through a new lens and inspire a new generation of women with their stories,” said Sanjeev Mohanty, Managing Director, South Asia, Middle East and North Africa for Levi’s India, in a statement issued during the campaign’s launch.

Apart from Faye D’Souza and Seema Samridhi, the campaign features Iti Rawat, the founder of WEFT (women entrepreneurs foundation), Trisha Shetty, founder of SheSays, a non-profit that empowers women, filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, stand-up comedian Sumukhi Suresh, and Indian-American rapper Raja Kumari.

According to data provided by content marketing agency Sheeko, the influencer-driven campaign has reached over 3 million people in a media value pegged around Rs 35 lakh.

Sheeko Brandscore graph of the brand’s performance on Instagram over one year:

Created in 2017, #IShapeMyWorld is a platform that seeks to inspire and enable women across India. Year-on-year they have brought together stories of inspiring women. Last year, they brought together 21 change-makers into a spirited music video that encouraged women to shape their own destiny. Season 4 featured Arjuna awardee Jwala Gutta, rapper Hard Kaur, and Bollywood singer Aditi Singh Sharma.