MARKETING
GAP vs. American Eagle: Proof That Old-School Marketing Still Wins
An American denim giant just pulled off a mind-blowing 5% sales boost, that’s $724 MILLION in just 6 day! 🤯.
Let’s break down how Gap did it.👇
If you missed it, Gap rolled out their 2025 Fall “Better With Denim” campaign with global pop group @Katseye and the internet can’t stop talking.
Why? Three reasons:
👉2000s nostalgia with iconic pop music 👉Choreography with meaning 👉Diverse, culture-driven marketing.
Why? Three reasons:
👉2000s nostalgia with iconic pop music
👉Choreography with meaning
👉Diverse, culture-driven marketing
1. Unlike the usual celebrity-only retail ads, GAP went bigger — partnering with Katseye, a global girl group with 22 million fans. This wasn’t just marketing to one culture. It felt like a global COMMUNITY handshake.
2. GAP used a 2000s pop anthem that instantly pulled audiences back into the low-rise jeans and mini-skirt era. Nostalgia sells and they knew it! 👀
3. Last but not the least, The choreography. The band dancing in a circle, symbolising unity and community. People felt it.
And GAP doubled down by launching limited Katseye hoodies. Fans went crazy. The campaign became an internet storm, with creators looping the soundtrac “Milkshake” all over TikTok. 🫶
This is what happens when a brand stops selling products and starts selling emotions , nostalgia, culture, connection.
Now let’s contrast that with American Eagle Outfitters Inc.
Remember the Sydney Sweeney “Great Jeans/Genes” campaign?
What was meant as playful wordplay spiralled into backlash, with critics calling it tone-deaf and racist. American Eagle claimed it was all audience perception — but the damage was done.
9% store traffic dropped!!! 🤯
So tell me, would you buy from the brand that gave you your favorite 2003 throwback hit? Or the one stuck in controversy? 👀
Follow me on insta for a very cool reel on this.
My id is : @lady_socialdown.
#americaneagle #gap #sydneysweeney #marketing #socialmedia #storytelling