Issue #60: Brand Bite of the Week

Gap x Parker Posey 👖

Welcome back and happy March. I spent yesterday romping around the Upper West Side in the glorious weather and feel revived. I know, it’s already cold again this morning, but spring is coming!!

I set out to write today’s issue about Gap’s spring campaign featuring The White Lotus star Parker Posey – which I’ll still discuss – but then I discovered the Quaker Oats oatmeal dress at London Fashion Week…

@itslilyroseThe ugliest dress ever? Or the most delicious? Thanks @Quaker Oats UK for giving me my fashion week debut wearing the world’s first ever porridge dress! Deliciously ugly and proud #ad #ootd #lfw #streetstyle

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The dress is part of Quaker Oats’ upcoming ‘Deliciously Ugly’ campaign, which wholeheartedly embraces the brand’s non-glamorous product by challenging conventional notions of prettiness. It’s definitely strange, but also eye-catching and provocative. Would love to know your thoughts in the comments…

Brand Bite of the Week: Gap x Parker Posey 👖

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a devoted Gap fan. So when they launched their new spring campaign featuring The White Lotus star Parker Posey last week, I ate it up. I’ve covered Gap before, but their comeback under the fearless leadership of Zac Posen deserves attention. And if you haven’t watched Zac Posen’s day-in-the-life video from Vogue yet, please do. It’s positively joyful.

Okay, back to the campaign. Titled ‘Feels like Gap,’ it features Parker Posey dancing to “Mama’s Eyes” alongside other performers, all donning new Gap styles. There are a lot of baggy jeans, loose silhouettes, and tight tees.

What Works

First, the ad was made by a creative team of women, which is awesome. Second, I love how Gap continues to embrace their iconic 90s aesthetic with these dance-centered ads, bringing a playfulness to the brand while demonstrating the functionality of their apparel.

It’s also interesting to compare this with their similarly dance-focused ad featuring Troye Sivan last fall – another amazing spot showcasing Sivan and talented dancers set to a Thundercat track.

What’s great about Gap’s spring campaign is how they’re reaching multiple generations. By featuring a White Lotus star in a choreographed dance, Gap continues to appeal to Gen Z while also connecting with older audiences who have grown up with Parker Posey’s work.

What Doesn’t Work

Honestly, this campaign checks all the boxes!

What Can We Learn?

• The right talent can bridge demographic gaps. While some celebrities only reach specific audiences (like Gap’s clearly Gen Z-targeted ad featuring Troye Sivan), Parker Posey successfully connects with both younger and older generations familiar with her past and current work. This perfectly demonstrates how to feature a relevant star who can transcend generational boundaries.

• Nostalgia remains powerful. Gap continues to channel their iconic 90s ad spots with these dance campaigns, and the strategy is clearly working – their sales increased 1.6% YoY in Q3 to $3.8 billion. Nostalgic campaigns show no signs of fading.

As always, thanks for reading. xx