Brand Voice All-Star: Gap’s #SpringIsWeird Campaign

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXsVlwyolSY

Tapping into the newfound starpower of indie darling actress Jenny Slate (paired with perennial awkward-sidekick actor Paul Dano), Gap’s spring campaign represents a distinct evolution of its failed fall #DressNormal campaign. Whereas #DressNormal attempted to leverage the normcore trend to underscore the understated, classic style of Gap’s apparel, #SpringIsWeird seems to be tapping into a cutesy, more “adorkable,” indie vibe.

The video above is the first of Gap’s “microseries,” and interesting take on video content, if nothing else. What exactly Gap is selling us is a little more nebulous. It seems as though Gap is taking an irreverent view of the “spring romance” trope. It’s use of Slate and Dano also suggests that Gap is experimenting with advertising awkwardness (remember #Adorkable?) and uncertainty, which is fairly rare, and somewhat risky.

The 12-part “microseries” (Is that a thing?) airs weekly from now through March. Check out the first video above, and some of the looks that Gap is selling us for spring 2015. Good for Gap for ditching what didn’t work (#DressBoring) and trying to mold it into something that has potential. That, paired with an interesting content “microseries” idea, should make for some interesting results. Stay tuned!