Northern Exposure: Palin Family Reject Levi Johnston's Brand Goes Nuts!

Levi Johnston is branding gold. Just maybe not 24-carat.

The Associated Press confirms that would-be vice-president Sarah Palin's would-be son-in-law Levi Johnston will soon pose for Playgirl. It’s the best thing to happen to Playgirl since... well, since whenever anything last happened in Playgirl. (Maybe 2002’s "The Men of Enron"?)

Playgirl now runs online only, serving a gay audience as much as a straight one. But Johnston's pictures and resulting exposure during the run-up have already rejuvenated the brand (or at least reminded everyone it exists). Google the word “playgirl,” and a story about Johnston in Playgirl is the number two result!

And then there are Levi's other nuts: his viral ad for Wonderful pistachios has given the Alaskan native a different type of exposure.

Whether or not the campaign will translate to sales is unknown. But the brand's use of Johnston was perfectly tongue in cheek, turning on a joke about how pistachios offer a heart "protection" (and how Johnston didn't use any with Palin's daughter).

Then there is the one-two combo of shrill, low-brow comedian and TV star Kathy Griffin taking Johnston as her date to an awards show. and Vanity Fair turning over its high-end pages to Johnston's first-person story.

Johnston succeeds because everything that touches him gets a huge bump in exposure without actually becoming directly associated with him. This comes thanks to Johnston's own (cultivated or innate) take-nothing-seriously attitude. Brands that associate with Johnston aren't tainted by his G-list fame-whoring because everyone, including Johnston, treats it as one big joke.

The moment things get sincere, Johnston's 15 minutes will be over.