Will Return to TV Rock Gap’s Sales?

The Gap is back on television. The retailer’s newest ad spots seem intended to bridge the gap between older consumers who may have discovered the chain somewhere back in the seventies and their kids. The question is whether the commercials, part of Gap’s "Back to Blue" campaign, will resonate with these distinctive audiences and whether the chain should attempt to pull off this particular marketing trick.

The commercials in question feature the children of rock and roll legends Billy Joel and George Harrison. Alexa Ray Joel performs a short version of her father’s "Just The Way You Are" while Dhani Harrison performs "For You Blue" from The Beatle’s "Let It Be" album. Complete versions of each song are available for download via iTunes. Proceeds from Mr. Harrison’s track will go to George Harrison’s Material World Foundation.

[Image: #BacktoBlue TV commercial:

"The entire Back to Blue campaign embodies what it means to be comfortable in your own skin. As a brand that is known for expressing itself through sight, sound and motion, we wanted to bring this idea to life through the voices of two individuals who are recognized for staying true to who they want to be," said Seth Farbman, Gap’s global chief marketing officer, in a statement. "To me, honest, open and heartfelt films like these are the future of video content. Anyone can relate to them because they’re real."

To connect its brand to consumers via Ms. Joel and Mr. Harrison, Gap has created a series of interviews, quotes, images and in-depth films available through mobile, PCs and television. The casual clothing chain partnered with Twitter to first announce the release of the commercials.

Gap plans to run the commercials during targeted "television events" such as broadcasts of NFL games and the American Music Awards to build buzz for the spots.

"The way people get their information and entertainment has materially and permanently changed. It’s everywhere every minute of the day. While TV still reaches many people at the same time, it’s the power of social conversations that turn amazing video content from a commercial into an event," said Mr. Farbman. "By leveraging a platform like Twitter, we’re able to broaden and deepen the emotional power of Back to Blue, long after the spots have stopped airing on the networks."

BrainTrust

Discussion Questions

Will Gap’s new spots become a hit with Millennials and/or Baby Boomers? Will Gap’s three-screen approach along with its social media efforts translate into increased sales for the chain?

Poll

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Cathy Hotka
Cathy Hotka
10 years ago

Millennials love the Beatles. (Timewise, this is roughly equivalent to Boomers like me loving Al Jolson.) Plugging into the mile-a-minute way that they absorb multimedia is very smart; and now that they’re entering the workforce, this is an opportunity for Gap and its brands to sell higher-margin workwear.

Lee Kent
Lee Kent
10 years ago

These ads have the potential to reach all generations. Both Billy Joel’s and The Beatles’ music is timeless!

Gap is truly stepping in the right direction and I would hope the campaign would extend into the stores. In-store sound tracks should also carry this current yet nostalgic theme.

Doug Garnett
Doug Garnett
10 years ago

Returning to TV is a smart strategic move for Gap (as well as many other advertisers). Will it succeed? That depends entirely on execution.

I’m not impressed with these ads – pure lifestyle theoretical connection isn’t what consumers seek at the Gap. They want clothes and style for themselves.

Carlos Arámbula
Carlos Arámbula
10 years ago

I don’t know if they will be a hit, but they will certainly be relevant. The Beatles brand has remained virtually unchanged over the generations. This is a fresh way to appeal to current and new customers borrowing from The Beatles equity.

“Back to Blues” is back to basics, back to the essence, back to the fashion that is your individualism…blue jeans is the soul of Gap – slightly blurred by khakis during the last decade – and it’s a smart move by the company to remind consumers of it.

I do believe it will lead to increased sales.

Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly
10 years ago

GAP has restored brand momentum. Sorta….

This content (expressing one’s authentic self) feels forced, not authentic. Why try so hard to stretch brand across consuming parents and their children? Or is the target the ageless classic rock tribe? Television ads don’t drive a comp, the goods do. And what is television in a DVR/Netflix world?

GAP assortment seems fresh around a core of denim. What happens in store/on site is what matters, right?

Conversation is king, not content.

Or as we like to say, “retail ain’t for sissies.”

Jerry Gelsomino
Jerry Gelsomino
10 years ago

I viewed the back stories and interviews on YouTube and it brought home the mission Gap set out to achieve. Is Gap too big, too mainstream for today’s and yesterday’s consumers to want to spend the time to find out more like I did? Also, the Gap’s previous storyline of ‘Bright’ is still playing here in Hong Kong but the stores don’t reflect that.

Alexander Rink
Alexander Rink
10 years ago

I find it incredibly hard today to predict which advertising campaigns will be successful. What made “What does the Fox say” or “Gangnam Style” go viral? So then, what can we say about the Gap’s new commercial? Well I think as others have pointed out, the Beatles’, and to a lesser extent, Billy Joel’s music is definitely intergenerational, and they will manage to appeal to both Millennials and boomers with this ad. But will it translate into more sales? Perhaps. But fashion is so fickle and has so many factors other than just the advertising.

All together I can’t see the campaign hurting them, but whether it will be wildly successful or not? I’m not sure.