Gap looks to its heritage for ‘Gifted’ holiday marketing campaign

Dive Brief:

Gap today (Oct. 23) launched a holiday marketing campaign centered around self-expression and themes related to the word “gifted,” according to details shared with Marketing Dive.
The effort features partnerships with a slew of individuals that fit the gifted theme, including Grammy-winning musician Alanis Morissette and her family and author Jay Shetty and his wife, Radhi Devlukia, a cookbook author. Seasonal looks are showcased in a 60-second spot.
The campaign spans digital media, out-of-home, video, social and Gap’s owned brand channels. Gap continues to market around individuality, a long-standing positioning, amid ongoing business struggles.

Dive Insight:

Gap is getting ready for the holidays by calling on a range of ambassadors that embody a “gifted” ethos that is rooted in individuality — a common theme in the brand’s marketing — and emphasizing the joy of shared company. The retailer is also “taking a page from its heritage” by featuring a number of generations in fresh styles, a move that could help broaden the retailer’s appeal.

Along with partnerships with Morissette, Shetty and Devlukia, the campaign features model Florence Huntington-Whiteley; Grammy-winning composer and songwriter Diana Gordon; Japanese model, actress and singer Rola; the founders of chef collective Ghetto Gastro, Lester Walker, Pierre Serrao and Jon Gray; Swedish model and designer Elsa Hosk with her daughter, Tuuli; and model Sabina Karlsson with her family.

An anthem spot showcases the retailer’s seasonal pick of apparel. Gap is putting a strong focus on a new proprietary knit called CashSoft, a material said to be comparable to cashmere, along with denim and khaki garments like Men’s ‘90s Loose Jeans and Baggy Khakis. A resurgence of retro styles, particularly those from the ‘90s and early 2000s, has been apparent in retail this year. For Gap’s fall campaign, the retailer sought inspiration from its archives, and “Gifted” could tap into consumer nostalgia from the marketer’s heyday.

The Q4 push from Gap arrives at a tough time for business, with net sales down 14% year-over-year in the second quarter. The company credited the bulk of the declines to the shutdown of Yeezy Gap, the sale of Gap China and foreign exchange challenges. Excluding those factors, net sales declined 4% over the year-ago period. However, the holiday season could give the brand a lift, with consumers projected to spend an average of $1,652 on gifts this year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time.

Correction: In a previous version of this article, the name of cookbook author Radhi Devlukia was incorrect. The story has been updated with the correct name.