"We wanted to be true to what Levi's is all about," said Doug Sweeney, director of brand marketing at Levi Strauss & Co. "These artists and athletes really embody the spirit of what 'Unbuttoned' is all about."

So now we know who to thank for Levi's Unbutton Campaign, with "artist" and roly poly fameball Perez Hilton telling us what type of pants are best to shit yourself in. But didn't Mr. Hilton already fail horribly at corporate branding? Yes.

So, then, at least Levi's is hedging its bets by stacking the deck with other celebrities for this campaign? Sortofbutnotreally.

Here's the thing about celebrity endorsements: they cost a lot. At least if you use real celebrities.

Stock photos can get you into trouble. Casting your own models can be a cheap way to get attractive people associated with your brand, but there's no buzz factor. So if you're a large enough company, it can make sense to spring for proper nouns. It explains why Madonna and Sarah Jessica Parker once extolled the virtues of Gap.

But let's take a look at the celebrities chosen for the Levi's ads launching this month: Estelle, a British pop-star that "may not be a household name"; BMX rider-slash-pop culture nobody Jamie Bestwick; and the Whales rapper/singer Nikka Costa, whose last hit single "Like A Feather" disappeared from pop culture radar faster than Michelle Branch. Ouch.

Do these mid- and low-level celebrities appeal to the niche market of post-college grads that Levi's is trying to cash in on? Probably. But are they recognizable to most of the folks in that clan? Not likely.

That is: Are you going to recognize Ms. Costa in this Levi's ad and make the appropriate "Levi's is hip" connection? Or mistake her for just another catalogue girl?

When HP signed Jay-Z to push its computers, they got an immediately recognizable face; HP also paid dearly for the privilege. But at the very least, consumers weren't left wondering who they were seeing in the ads, or if he was even worth paying attention to.

When most consumers see Jamie Bestwick in a creative, they won't trigger the same immediate connection.

Of course, that's what Levi's is going for. They don't want your run-of-the-mill A-list celebrities; they are recreating their brand as too edgy for that. But because the B- and C-listers they've hired are celebri-somethings, they cost more than a phone to call to IMG Models.

But the visibility is practically the same.