I saw the ad first online [via] and haven’t seen them on tv yet. I thought the commercial was pretty stupid even if the actors are engaging.
Then I flipped through the print ad online. My thoughts, Oh, Kyra Sedgwrick, I love her.
*. I totally dismissed the pants.
I was walking through the mall last night and by Gap store and finally saw them in person. I really didn’t think much of the trousers at all. I was more engaged by the men’s khakis side of the window display.
Then I read this on Adaptive Path today and it hits the nail on the head. I hated the Audrey Hepburn* ads, and I don’t like this set of ads either.
I cannot figure out who they are trying to target with the ad campaigns. Are fans of Audrey Hepburn the same ones as AC/DC? Are they the skinny young people who would buy the black slim pants?
Are those who would love the vocals by Ethel Merman the same age as the audience who would appreciate Claire Danes and Patrick Wilson?
The print ads feature actors and model (I’m guessing they are models, honestly have no idea who some of the people are!) are of different ages and looks. But really, does it really reflect the people who shop at the Gap? I understand using actors as models, since you want your audience to say, I want to look like him/her. But if you don’t know who some of the people are, do you get the response you want?
I cannot help but wonder if they are trying to be a brand for everyone, and trying to appeal to too many people at once in one campaign. I think the mixed voice dilutes the message.
A few quotes about the topic that I enjoyed:
because people who shop at the Gap do not wear trousers; they wear pants, khakis or jeans
It’s all fake. These aren’t your boyfriend’s pants (or trousers, as it seems that your “boyfriend” is either British or from the 1920’s - or both). Women buying these pants may not even have a boyfriend, and are simply purchasing these pants with the hope that they’ll fill a void left by the last khaki-wearing jerk who broke their heart. (A friend of mine suggested that Gap offer a similar item for men, the “girlfriend bra” so that lonely men can have something to cuddle with at night.
My wife’s response: “Eww, who wants to wear their boyfriend’s pants?”
Not to most compelling of ad campaigns. I haven’t purchased a pair of pants from the Gap in well over 4 years now. While I used to at least look at the clothes, these days, I will walk by the store 99% of the time. I live in casual clothes these days since I work from home. I find that even Banana Republic is seemingly too formal for my day to day. You’d think the Gap would have clothes for me. I’m still waiting to see if they start making wearable clothing again, instead of just cheap clothes. After, all, there’s H&M for that, and they are more trendy.
*I love Audrey Hepburn. Just hated the ad.
*The Closer is one of my favourite shows on tv. I never miss it.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Patty // Mar 23, 2007 at 11:42 am
I have not seen any of the print ads, but I’ve seen the TV ad. My immediate thoughts were: ‘Oh, is that Claire Danes? And who is that guy? I’ve seen him somewhere. It is Claire Danes. I like her, I wonder what she’s been up to…wow- great leg extension! I wonder if she has formal dance training. I wish I had formal dance training.’ And then I thought, ‘weird GAP ad.’
I’m like you- I don’t even bother going into the GAP anymore because I know I’m not going to buy anything. I never much thought about the implications of their advertising, until I read your post. None of their recent ad campaigns have made me want to shop there, mostly, I just end up thinking ‘oh, look, more pretty people’.
2 Patty // Mar 23, 2007 at 11:48 am
Damn. Now I’ve got that Ethel Merman song in my head.
3 Pauline // Mar 25, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I hate the Gap ads personally. What a way to mar the image of Hepburn.
Interestingly Gap is indeed, as you point out, in the middle of an identity crisis… In the years since I worked for them, they have moved so far away from the “basics” and tried to chase the growing Teen consumer demographic. But they lacked the expertise of those running Hollister, let’s say. Then at the same time, their premium and low end brands took off (Banana Republic and Old Navy respectively) and left the Gap in the no man’s land.
The ambigouity of their target audience in media ads you pointed out is a reflection of their lack of focus on branding as a whole.
4 Cynthia // Mar 26, 2007 at 8:25 am
I have seen these ads. The one with the man and woman dancing to “Anything you can do” from Annie Get Your Gun. Hate it. I try to mute it when it comes on. I hadn’t thought about the marketing aspect. I don’t shop at the Gap and it’s been quite a long time since I did. I get the impression they are trying to recap the success they had years ago with the ads with the Swing dancers. But are falling short of the mark. I also hated the Audrey Hepburn ads even though I lov her.
5 Theresa // Mar 27, 2007 at 10:54 am
Well, GAP is a store that I only shopped in once about 20 years ago — for pants for someone else. Of course they don’t make anything that would fit me. So I’ve always dismissed their advertising as something I don’t “get” and it didn’t matter since I’m not their target audience. But I always assumed there were those (probably a bit younger than me) that did ‘get’ their ads and were brought in by them. Guess not!
I also loathed the Audrey Hepburne ads (though I adore her) — and I could not believe they would bring out pants that slim when there is so much uproar about the too thin models walking the runways — very poor timing.
6 Jenny // Mar 29, 2007 at 12:26 am
I haven’t seen the TV ad, but passed a telephone booth with an ad for the damn pants while with a girlfriend. She actually likes the idea, but then her husband is a skinny little man and she actually fits some of his pants. Me, I’m thinking why the hell would I want to wear boy pants??? Boys have no ass, boys are usually pretty square in size. I have curves. I am not a boy.
The Audrey Hepburn ads were an abomination unto mankind.
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