Renewed purpose
“Just Dance” drops as the Gap retail group is under new leadership with CEO Richard Dickson, who recently reinstated the CMO role by hiring Fabiola Torres from PepsiCo. The company which includes Banana Republic and Old Navy is looking to turn around years of lackluster sales with “crisp identities and purpose,” Dickson has said.
Recent efforts have featured Grammy-winning South African artist Tyla in a spot that harkened back to the Gap’s memorable 1990s and 2000s dance-heavy campaigns, along with a collaboration with London-based streetwear label Palace. The goal is to win back shoppers, particularly Gen Z, from fast fashion with entertainment-centric advertising.
Danspiration
To support the “Just Dance” campaign for GapKids, the brand gathered data around the impact of self-expression and creativity on children’s confidence levels. Per the findings, 86% of parents reported a boost in their child’s confidence when the youngsters are allowed to express their creativity through fashion, and 85% said their kids are more confident and enthusiastic about school when they choose their outfits for the first day.
Additionally, 87% of parents said participation in music and dance increased their kids’ confidence.
GapKids joins many marketers jumping into the busy BTS fray, though some research shows that consumers are lagging this year, partly due to inflation.
According to 84.51° data, 76% of shoppers have not started their annual buying, though 55% plan to participate in the stocking-up ritual. Finding value will be top of mind, per the study, with consumers saying they will buy IRL from mass retailers (89%) or grocery stores (89%) and will buy supplies on sale (65%).
