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.
"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."