Gap Gets 'Glee'-ful for New Holiday Ads

by Lisa Marsh (Subscribe to Lisa Marsh's posts)
Posted Nov 16th 2009 at 12:10AM

Gap has unveiled its first television campaign in over two years and it will strike a familiar chord with millions of viewers.

In the new series of holiday commercials, a boisterous troupe of particularly "Glee"-ful models and cheerleaders prance around spreading holiday, well, cheer.

They dance, they tumble, they build human pyramids, all while decked out in Gap's seasonal 1969 denim, plaid shirts and chic winter accessories. (You can even shop the looks.)

Their intricate routines look an awful lot like the glorious song and dance numbers featured on the hit Fox series "Glee," which depicts the conflicts between the misfit members of a high school glee club and the uber cool cheerleaders (aka the "Cheerios").

The similarity is a little more than a case of great minds thinking alike. Though the campaign was in development "before we saw 'Glee,'" Ivy Ross, executive vice president of marketing for Gap told The New York Times, the resemblance is "no accident."

"We were very conscious of the environment we're in," she added.

Called "Holiday Cheer," the campaign features 10 different peppy ads including the intentionally inclusive "Happy Whateveryouwannakah," the very clever "Still Got That Receipt?," the politically correct "Vegetarian RSVP" and the procrastinator's theme "Be Belated" (cue "Bring it On").

View all of them at Gap's holiday microsite, Cheerfactory.com, where you can customize cheers and send via email, Facebook and Twitter. Spread the joy and receive a 20% off coupon good through the end of January 2010.

Gap clearly wants to make it a cheerful holiday season.

What do you think of the new campaign? Leave a comment!

And get the inside scoop on how one of the most whimsical holiday traditions is put together.

Read All Comments

Filed under: News, Designers & Brands, Shopping
Tags: cheerleaders, christmas, commercials, facebook, Gap, Gap Commercials, Glee, holiday, TV Shows, twitter

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READER COMMENTS

(33)Add A Comment

bamadale, 11-16-2009, 9:11AM

I think it's a stupid ad because it mentions a ridiculous so-called wannabe holiday called "Kwanzaa". Since when did the K-day warrant mention in a national ad campaign? Why can't we stick with CHRISTMAS!!! Is it too much to ask to say 'no' to everyone else that wants to ride piggy-back on one of Christianity's most treasured days of the year on which we celebrate the birth of our Lord?

Reply »

VirgoBlue88, 11-16-2009, 10:04AM

Well seeing as Jesus was actually born mid October you shouldn't be celebrating Christmas on December 25th anyway. Now even if you were truly celebrating his birth on the 25th of December, generally speaking Christmas is an extremely over-commercialized, over-processed holiday companies take advantage of to raise their annual sales; that has long ago lost its true meaning. If you want to celebrate the birth of Jesus by watching parades, buying countless gifts that people only care about for a week, then by all means do so. I'm a women of mixed culture (African American/Dominican), notice I said CULTURE not RACE (anyway that's a whole different subject) back to your comment. I don't necessarily celebrate either holiday although I was born in America, but if I had to choose a holiday that is based on TRUE giving, tradition, unity and prosperity the obvious choice would be Kwanzaa. Do you HONESTLY think most Americans celebrate Christmas like it was intended?? We should all be celebrating Winter Solstice if anything like some of the Original Peoples (Native Americans), because at the end of the day if you are not of the Original Peoples you are *ahem* dare I say? an immigrant.

marthamary42, 11-16-2009, 10:06AM

Some people want to erase the word Christmas from the English language because they don't believe in the reason we celebrate it. It has always been the celebration of the birth of Jesus, so I think that those who don't want to accept that shouldn't celebrate December 25 at all. I agree with you.

Derrel, 11-16-2009, 10:42AM

while I absolutely agree that kwanzaa is a silly african knock off holiday, it really isn't any more silly than that christian day of celebration or festivius

Silent Josh, 11-16-2009, 12:14PM

Christmas is actually a holiday added by early Christians to help convert the Pagan Celts in England, the Pagans celebratede a holiday called Yule on the Winter Solstice, and the Christians couldn't get them to give it up, even if they were accepting of the Christian God (when you worship multiple Gods as is, what's one more? they though) so the Christians adopted December 25th, and called it Christmas, to have the Pagans substitue that for Yule. That's why the Christmas tree is traditional, it's based on the Pagan Yule Log.

So essentially, Christmas in itself, has nothing to do with the birth of Christ, at least in it's original form. Then again, according to Christians, the "Word of God" has had to be edited and rewritten hundreds of times since the original Bible was written, so I suppose whatever story they tell today must be the new truth.

dudette, 11-16-2009, 9:38PM

why would it bother you that other people celebrate holy days other than christmas in december? It shouldn't take away from your beliefs any at all that other people celebrate secular and/or religious holidays in december that are unrelated to christmas, or even a secular version of christmas.

some people get up in arms about people taking the "christ" out of christmas and using an "x" instead to indicate a secular celebration, but I've never understood that. they're specifically setting it apart from the religious christmas and demonstrating that it's different for them than a religious "christ-mas" instead of bastardizing a holy day for other people.

it's about time american retailers recognize that americans are shopping for more than one holiday between thanksgiving and new years. I prefer "happy whateveryouwannakah" to "happy holidays", it feels more inclusive and less like a "merry christmas" substitute. Maybe I'll shop @ the gap this year, it would be a first.

Brynn, 11-25-2009, 12:25PM

Im just saddened to hear a "christian" slam the fact a company has included ALL the celebrations of December. The Solstice has been celebrated by Pagans hundreds of years before Christianity was forced on the population under the rule of Constantine in the 1300's. Thousands of Pagan altars and temples were destroyed in the name of protest to the "new" religion Christianity. Is it fair that people of a faith worth 2000 years of pracice was trampled b/c the church wanted control? I certainly do not! It is selfish to think Christmas is the only celebrated holiday amongst the world. Question: Wasn't Jesus of Nazareth a Jew? He would/should have celebrated Hanukaah from birth to death. At which he would have celebrated passover not Easter. We have become a selfish and ignornat society when one belief is held above all others. Especially when Christmas was hijacked from an established Pagan holiday. I just hope we all learn to grow up and acknowledge indifferance and understanding to each other as proud inhabitants of the Earth!

Love and Blessings:)

tedd, 11-16-2009, 9:33AM

I think the AD has some merit though i think it lacks message and wont connect with the audience. Even though I am very i tune with the environment, when I first saw the AD, I was thinking the the campaign creator must have been a cheer leadrer in HS/College. I think they will lose the overall appeal of the demographic they are focused on. At best, they may increase fractional share of the tweens. Its limited on what it does for brand.

Reply »

SMB, 11-16-2009, 10:12AM

...the ad has little to do with "Glee", and everything to do with the old Gap ads from 10 years ago, which featured dancers ...it's concievable that "Glee" might've influenced the style of music/dance that was showcased, but, Gap was doing dance commercials long before Glee was even a twinkle in it's creator's eyes ...for proof, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT5cT3mC5ZA&feature=related -- and -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knW1hGwmEXQ

...and to bamadale: your racism is showing ...the ad also mentioned "Solstice", which is an ancient European PAGAN holiday ...being a christian, you should have WAY more of a problem with that than Kwanza ...the only reason i can see that you would single out Kwanza and let Solstice go, is because Kwanza is black, and Solstice is white ...or, you're simply too ignorantr to know what Solstice was. (BTW: did you know there was a time when Christmas was banned & outlawed in parts of America by the puritains/christians, because it was seen as sinful? oh, and, Jesus was'nt really born on Dec. 25th...so, whose holiday is "made up" now, hm? -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas#Reformation_into_the_19th_century)

-happy christmahanukwanza everybody!!!

Reply »

Joyce, 11-16-2009, 10:30AM

I am amazed at how few people are commenting on the actual commercial, which I think is cute, and slightly satirical of all this politically correct inclusiveness. What it has to do with Glee, I don't know. I watch the show, and I can't see the connection.
As for you folks who go off-topic to go off on other peoples holiday traditions: Grow up. Deliberate nastiness is so last century.

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adrina, 11-16-2009, 10:39AM

its a gap ad who cares if they include other holidays than Christmas, we are not the only people on the earth, if people want to celebrate Kwanzaa and solstice then let them in peace, who are we to judge others! oh and the ad was cute there just trying to spread some cheer. I'm catholic by the way. the world has enough hate in it lets try to get along! Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays!

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deepikaur, 11-16-2009, 5:53PM

Thank you! While many do celebrate Christmas, it is not the only holiday celebrated during the holiday months.

But more to the point, the commercials themselves are quite cute and catchy, though they hit me as more Bring It On-esque rather than Glee-ish.

Out of the ones on their site though, the Vegetarian RSVP is definitely my favorite! :)

Brynn, 11-25-2009, 12:27PM

Thank you for your kind words on indifference. Im Pagan and I feel it doesn't matter what you believe in as long as it works for YOU. It's been hard for years to seem out of the norm to some, but it's comforting when someone has peace of mind to remind us we're all here on the Earth together. Be happy! May you have a blessed Holiday of your choosing and keep spreading the words of kindness and love.

Blessings!

GSOT, 11-16-2009, 10:54AM

There are many who celebrate Christmas for what it really is, the birth of Jesus. Without His birth, there would be no Christmas. Believe in Christ or don't but without Him, there are no parades, no presents, no Santa Claus, etc. I agree that Christmas has become over commercialized and trivialized. It's sad. I'm all for doing Christmas in a big, big way. It's my favorite holiday. I love giving gifts. I love getting together with my family. I love the cider and pumpkin pie. I love the music and the lights. But I also love most that there is a very real reason that we celebrate this holiday. This Gap commercial epitomizes what Christmas has become to many people. It's unfortunate that many don't realize that Christmas is a celebration of the most amazing thing to happen to human kind in our history. The words in this little "ditty" are indicative of the values prevalent in our society. "Forget the rules, do what you want" is the overwhelming attitude anymore. It's a cute and catchy commercial but if you dig deeper, it's really very sad.

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LizzieSnow, 11-16-2009, 12:02PM

I could not have said it better! Thank you for reading my mind and putting it into eloquent words! Well done, good and faithful servant!

Mom of 7, 11-16-2009, 11:00AM

VirgoBlue88 11-16-2009 @ 10:04AM
Well seeing as Jesus was actually born mid October you shouldn't be celebrating Christmas on December 25th anyway. Now even if you were truly celebrating his birth on the 25th of December, generally speaking Christmas is an extremely over-commercialized, over-processed holiday companies take advantage of to raise their annual sales; that has long ago lost its true meaning. If you want to celebrate the birth of Jesus by watching parades, buying countless gifts that people only care about for a week, then by all means do so. I'm a women of mixed culture (African American/Dominican), notice I said CULTURE not RACE (anyway that's a whole different subject) back to your comment. I don't necessarily celebrate either holiday although I was born in America, but if I had to choose a holiday that is based on TRUE giving, tradition, unity and prosperity the obvious choice would be Kwanzaa. Do you HONESTLY think most Americans celebrate Christmas like it was intended?? We should all be celebrating Winter Solstice if anything like some of the Original Peoples (Native Americans), because at the end of the day if you are not of the Original Peoples you are *ahem* dare I say? an immigrant..........................................................Actually Jesus is believed to have been born in the Spring. The proof is in the gospel of Luke which states that the Shepherds were keeping their watch by night in the fields when the Christ child was born. The only time the shepherds are in the fields day and night is during lambing season, which is in the springtime. The early Christians began celebrating the Lord's birth during the celebration of the winter solstice in order to blend in with the pagan revelers who were celebrating their own pagan holiday at the time. This way the early christians could blend in and not stand out by celebrating by themselves during the actual time of Christ's birth which would have been very dangerous for them. Later Constantine just made it an official holiday, even though the majority of Christians already know that Jesus wasn't actually born at that time. They don't really care, they just want to celebrate his coming.

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magusap, 11-16-2009, 11:53AM

the comercial is nice i like the dancing but that circle thing they did looked like a target logo. it made me want to shop at target than at gap...

what i don't understand when there are billboard or television commercials some has nothing to do with what they are trying to sell. i know they are enticing people to buy so they put almost naked men,women, and teens to get us hooked.

yeah! if i see a hot sweaty man on the commercial spraying something on his body i will soooo run to the mall and buy it. spay it on my man and just maybe he will turn into that model on television hot sweaty hunk with that six pack going on. yeah! not in a million years.... he'll smell good but i don't see no physical changes... just like the make-up that models sell on television or billboard. yeah, it will sure make me sooooo beautiful just like the model i will even have that sexy body...

it's okay to have all of that as long as it is not everdone...

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mary, 11-16-2009, 12:41PM

There is a reason xmas is celebrated on Dec 25. Early christians superimposed christian holidays on already existing holidays because that made it easier to convert people. The winter solstice has always been celebrated by many cultures in one form or another. It is the darkest day of the year and it is natural to celebrate that day with lots of light and cheer and food sharing to get people through an otherwise gloomy, cold and dark winter. So whatever holiday you choose to celebrate on the solstice, make it a gleefull one!

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tresadnet, 11-16-2009, 1:01PM

The ad is really awful, I think. It's so high-school-cheerleader-y. It doesn't remind me of Glee at ALL. And it really doesn't make any sense that they would mention Kwanzaa, because it's an American holiday celebrating African culture that just happens to be in December. It doesn't have anything to do with the season or the month, I mean, Kwanzaa could be in June for all the season matters.

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Krist, 11-16-2009, 1:32PM

There's always some idiot racist that has to bring in an argument that isn't necessary. The article wasn't even about the different celebrations, it was about how it knocked off Glee which I don't see. Then again I don't watch Glee, never will as it doesn't appeal to me in the least bit. I like the Gap ad. It's great to see that they're making a come back.

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