Stumped On How To Pronounce Loewe? Watch The Brand’s Hilarious New Campaign

I remember the first time I said Loewe out loud. It was perhaps my second or third month as an intern, still getting my feet wet in the industry. And let’s just say I was nowhere close to pronouncing it correctly (thank you to the person who nicely flagged it to me). Judging by Loewe’s new Decades of Confusion campaign video, which dropped on March 28, it’s clear I’m not the only one who has said (or spelled) the Spanish house’s name wrong. Directed by Ally Pankiw, the hilarious, very fashionable film shows spelling bee judge Dan Levy (who wrote the script) asking contestant Aubrey Plaza how to spell Loewe at multiple competitions over the decades.

With creative direction from Jonathan Anderson, the short film begins with a national spelling contest in 1971. “Welcome,” Levy says to Plaza, who is wearing oversized ‘70s-looking glasses, a tie-neck blouse, and a flared midi skirt. “Welcome. I don’t know why I said that. Maybe because it’s so hot in here. Your word is hot,” she nervously jokes. Levy continues, “Speller number one, your word is Loewe.” Plaza, looking confused (hence the title of the campaign), goes, “Sorry, what?” After Levy repeats the word, Plaza asks, “Can I get a definition, please? Or a glass or water?” Levy responds, “You can not get water. You can get a definition. Loewe, a luxury fashion house.” Plaza then takes a stab at the word: “Here I go. L... W...”

Needless to say, she doesn’t get it on the first try. Or the second. No, not the third either. Throughout the decades captured in the video, which ends with a clip set in 2024, Plaza keeps returning to the stage, only to continue butchering it. Spoiler: She never spells Loewe right... but hey, at least she looked great trying.

During the two-minute and 37-second skit, Plaza, of course, wears all manner of archival Loewe outfits. In the ‘80s shot, Plaza embodies bold, colorful Miami style. Then, for the ‘90s contest scene, the White Lotus star channeled a Texan socialite with the brand’s Amazona bag. For the final take in 2024, she donned the label’s car-shaped dress and cult-favorite balloon heels from its Fall/Winter 2022 collection. Meanwhile, Levy is pictured sporting different frames (including aviators and a circular-shaped pair) and suits, from a rich red look in the ‘70s to a gray style the following decade. Award-winning hairstylist Michelle Ceglia also deserves a shout-out for the nostalgic hairstyles seen on Plaza and Levy during each time period.

Hopefully, this fun little skit helped everyone finally master Loewe’s pronunciation (LO-WEH-VAY) and spelling. And if not? Well, better luck at the competition next year.