Image Courtesy of Gap Inc.
September 22, 2025
Does Gap Need a Music Mogul on Its Board?
Gap Inc. appointed Jody Gerson, a music exec credited with the signing of Adele, Harry Styles, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Coldplay, and other stars, to its board of directors.
In becoming chairman and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) in 2015, she made history as the first woman to be named CEO of a major music publisher. Prior to UMPG, she served as co-president of Sony Music Publishing for six years, and prior to that worked at EMI Music Publishing for 20 years.
Besides also signing Lady Gaga, Norah Jones, and then 15-year-old Alicia Keys and working with many other major musical artists, she also spearheaded the landmark acquisitions of the Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, and Sting catalogs. She serves on Boards for the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the National Music Publishers Association, New Roads School, and Project Healthy Minds.
Gap in a statement said her expertise across industries “is critical to the company’s long-term strategy” and supports its goal to maintaining a “diverse and dynamic” board of directors.
The appointment comes on the heels of the Gap chain’s chain revival of its music-driven fashion campaigns. In the ‘90s and ‘00s, Gap’s iconic ads were lauded for their choreography, including one featuring Madonna and Missy Elliott in their prime, as well as other stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, LL Cool J, Aerosmith, Run-DMC, and Daft Punk.
In March of this year, the Gap chain earned headlines for the launch of its fourth music-themed commercial since last year called “Feels like Gap,” featuring quirky actress and then-“The White Lotus” star Parker Posey dancing freely. A “Better in Denim” campaign featuring the global pop group Katseye (shown below) and launched in late August has garnered over 400 million views, 8 billion impressions, and became the No. 1 TikTok search.
“Jody is a cultural force in her own right,” said Richard Dickson, Gap’s president and CEO, in a statement. “Her insights into fashiontainment — our platform at the intersection of fashion, music and celebrity — are unmatched. At Gap Inc., we’ve always believed that style is a form of storytelling, and Jody’s ability to amplify voices and shape cultural moments will be invaluable as we continue redefining what it means to be an iconic, purpose-led house of brands.”
Gerson said, “Gap Inc. has long been a cultural icon, bridging fashion, music, and identity. I’m honored to join Gap Inc.’s Board of Directors and excited to bring my perspective and experience in the creative industries to the table. Equally, I’m energized to support Richard Dickson’s vision and draw inspiration from Gap’s remarkable renaissance as a brand that’s become synonymous with the culture of music.”
Discussion Questions
Does the appointment of Jody Gerson to Gap Inc.’s board make sense despite her lack of retail experience?
Does it offer any insights into how consumer engagement or creating buzz is evolving for retailers and brands?
Poll
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Pamela Kaplan
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President, Spieckerman Retail
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It’s fine for the board to have a diverse range of experience from outside of retail, provided the core of the business is retail focused and the priority remains one of reinvigorating the core. In actuality, there are a lot of cultural connections between music and fashion, so this could be helpful to Gap in terms of providing some fresh ideas.
My initial thought “Does anything they do work/make sense?” That question might actually get a “yes” from some quarters, so I’ll just say that, without having more info it seems like a curious set of priorities.
If said music mogul can help them figure out how to sell more, be perceived as trendier, or help expand the brand to a new demographic, than 100% yes they should be on the Board.
Back in 1969, The Gap was almost named Pants and Discs because it sold jeans and albums. By the time I got there in the late 70s the albums were long gone. Hiring Jody Gerson is a nice nod to the company origins. Ms. Gerson is on the board, not running the stores. I like what she brings to the table.
Ms. Gerson’s connections in and instinct for the music industry support Gap’s multi-generational relevance. Her appointment is completely on-brand for Gap.
Jody Gerson gets the entertainment business. Gap’s promotion is entertainment – providing an emotional experience through music and video in the advertisements. That links the two industries at the hip. And having a super-connected person to celebrities could help Gap land a major influencer. I like that Gap brought Gerson to the board.
I agree, I think it’s great. The Gap needed to change it up and this seems to be working. Like luxury, fashion is connecting to emotion, not just running stores. I like where Gap is right now and hope they continue in this direction.
Jody Gerson can help make Gap hip again. There’s nothing important.
Appointing Jody Gerson to Gap Inc.’s board makes more sense than it might at first glance, despite her lack of direct retail experience. Gap is pushing hard on “fashiontainment” — tying its brand identity back to music, culture, and storytelling — and Gerson brings rare expertise in signing major artists, managing culturally resonant talent, and capitalizing on music’s emotional pull. Her track record suggests she understands how to generate buzz, build narratives, and tap into younger demographics. These are assets Gap needs as it seeks to revitalize its brand beyond traditional brick-and-mortar tactics.
The move also signals how consumer engagement is evolving: the lines between fashion, culture, and entertainment are blurring, and brands increasingly compete not just on product but on cultural relevance, entertainment value, and viral content. Campaigns like Gap’s recent “Better in Denim,” which used music and global pop acts and achieved large reach on TikTok, show that the company believes these tools are integral to winning in today’s market.
In short: the appointment is less about retail operations knowledge and more about storytelling, relevance, and cultural velocity. If Gap uses Gerson to amplify these parts of its strategy — music-driven campaigns, collaborations, emotionally engaging content — she could bring real value. But the risk remains that these elements must be supported by solid product, consistent customer experience, and efficient execution. Otherwise, even the best cultural branding won’t fully make up for gaps in core retail fundamentals.
The more diverse a company’s board is, the better ideas it generates. She will give Gap an entirely different outlook on the business. Good move Gap!
When product differentiation is minimal and distribution is commoditized, brands compete on cultural velocity and emotional resonance. Gerson’s appointment signals Gap’s recognition that in creator economy-driven markets, cultural credibility generates economic returns more efficiently than operational optimization. Gerson understands how to monetize cultural moments at scale, which is precisely the skill Gap needs to rediscover its lifestyle brand DNA.