Gap Holiday Ad Causes Religious Controversy

by Erin Donnelly (Subscribe to Erin Donnelly's posts)
Posted Nov 16th 2009 at 2:01PM

Well, bah humbug.

Earlier today we reported that Gap had turned to "Glee" for inspiration for its new "Holiday Cheer" ad campaign, which features the tagline "Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, Go Kwanzaa, Go Solstice" in its inclusive "Happy Whateveryouwannakah" ad.

Now, however, a Christian group has announced that they will boycott Gap Inc. because they feel the ads are "offensive," Brand Week reports.

According to Brand Week, the American Family Association has planned to boycott Gap and associated businesses (including Old Navy and Banana Republic) through Christmas Day. The group reportedly feels that the lighthearted ads poke fun at religion.

"It looks like an attempt to patronize people," AFA representative Randy Sharp told the publication. "What they did was almost make a joke out of it."

Gap has countered the group's anti-religious claims, saying that it "is and has always been an inclusive, accessible brand in which everyone can participate and we embrace diversity across all of our customers, and more importantly respect their beliefs as individuals... We focus our marketing on the joys of the holiday season as a whole," the company said in a statement released to the media.

"Our brands have periodically used Christmas in their holiday season advertising. With this year's Gap and Old Navy ads, we hope that the AFA will update its Web site, which has claimed that Gap Inc. 'refused to use the word Christmas in its advertising.' This is untrue."

Do you like the ads? Or will you be boycotting? Leave a comment!

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

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Filed under: News, Designers & Brands
Tags: american family association, AmericanFamilyAssociation, Banana Republic, Christmas, controversial ads, Fashion Boycott, gap, gap ads, gap holiday ads, glee, Old Navy

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READER COMMENTS

(279)Add A Comment

Sexy Alice, 11-16-2009, 2:15PM

i am a good conservative Christian woman and I think the AFA are a bunch of nut jobs. Its a cute little commercial and they're dancing and having fun in the clothes. Its a COMMERCIAL not a piece of propaganda made by the government. What freaks! The AFA is always being ridiculous about something!

Reply »

gobluespartyon, 11-16-2009, 2:43PM

I agree Sexy Alice about the AFA that group is are wack jobs. AFA crys cenorship when there special didn't air in Feb on one of the main local channels the channel didn't want to air the special one hour before the president made a speech, then I think were going to move it to Wed but decided not to air it they then said Sat at 2:00PM and the station never heard back from the AFA and they cryed cenorship because the station didn't want to air it glad that they didn't. As the show was full of lies and hate there polls are also one sided as well if you ever gone on the website which I did the one time and I didn't vote everything I said was one sided.

I like the ad see nothing wrong with it and I think it's cute.

gwen, 11-16-2009, 3:14PM

AFA is going after the Gap for avoiding the word Christmas in their advertising, instead using the word Holiday. I don't believe they are going after them for any other reason.
IF you were REALLY a christain, you should be outraged with all the retailers that have shunned the word Christmas.
Me and my family will only shop where they are not ashamed of the word Christmas!

Cissy, 11-16-2009, 3:26PM

"Sexy Alice", you are a deceived woman.

ckandrus2001, 11-16-2009, 3:24PM

Gwen, Happy Holiday's does mean Christmas for me. No one will take that from me so I don't let those things freak me out. It is only those, like Bill O'Reilly, that try to create a controversy by saying Happy Holiday's takes the meaning out of Christmas. It just is not true. I like that this commercial includes everyone.

ThisIsNuts!, 11-16-2009, 3:30PM

Well now, there ya go again, Gwen. You crank up your protest and don't even pay attention to the article. The ad does NOT substitute the word 'holiday' for Christmas. In fact, that's the first reference the little ditty makes.... " Go Christmas..." You need to relax and get out more. Stop trying to be so PC... it's not working for you.

scenegirl9981, 11-16-2009, 3:41PM

for real people?!?!? The commercial is obnoxious (as are most Gap and Old Navy commercials, but to boycott it because it "attempts to patronize people"? How exactly does it do that?
And to say it "ALMOST makes a joke out of it"?...so you ALMOST read a little too much into it. It's clever advertising. Obnoxious, but clever. It's not anti-christian, it's an attempt at being PC and all-inclusive of ALL religion....ya know...since this is a country where we allow FREEDOM OF RELIGION.

gobluespartyon, 11-16-2009, 6:03PM

Gwen AFA is wrong and your wrong that your defending a hafeful group. GAP isn't ashamed to say the word Christmas as you and AFA are claiming which is a lie and baseless as well. AFA are extreme christians they cry cenorship if they don't get there way I'm a good christian and I don't like the few like AFA and there hateful ways.

tada, 11-16-2009, 6:26PM

Gwen, you really need to start paying attention. They most certainly DID use "the Christmas word"...along with other names of celebratory traditions. The United States is not comprised only of Christians, so it would be better to accept that a store like the Gap (that should be without religious affiliation) is going to try to appeal to a wide variety of religions (or non-religions) that are practiced. I personally think the ad is a little silly and over-the-top, but I'm not offended by it. If anything, I suppose they should have not made any reference to ANY particular custom or tradition, but that's kind of a catch-22, isn't it? I feel that they handled things in an equitable way. I'm a Christian, but I recognize that there is a separation of Church and State. There are just too many different beliefs out there, and the State should not mandate any one over any of the others. The Gap has tried to keep within the bounds of what is acceptable in the public domain. No one is restricting you from your personal rights to express yourself...but this is a company we're talking about. Get over it, and turn the channel if the ad bugs you so much. Don't let it take any more energy from you.

Niki, 11-16-2009, 7:28PM

These are probably the very same people that hate it when you wish them a "happy holiday." In fact Ive heard of many people boycotting places like Target and such because people would wish them a happy holiday rather than a merry christmas. They have no idea that non christians may find it offensive that you wish them a merry christmas. No ones ever come up to them and wished them a Happy Hannuka before. They have no idea that the individual truley is refering to xmas when they say holiday. Theyre still being wished a good holiday, and theyre upset about it. So, to those out there that dont want a "happy Holiday" I wish them a sad miserable horribly awful holiday.

Matt, 11-16-2009, 8:16PM

I could not agree more. Everyone is too sensitive. For a country build on freedom of speech we have all gone crazy. Far be it for anyone to have fun anymore with anything. Everyone is too uptight! If people spent as much time worrying about themselves as they do others, there wouldn't be any problems. Get a grip.

Derek Denim, 11-16-2009, 7:27PM

People need to lighten up and get a grip!

Reply »

hello asca, 11-16-2009, 2:19PM

get a life people its just a commercial to sell clothes your reading way to much into it

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farfallealfredo, 11-16-2009, 2:22PM

AFA should be ashamed to call themselves a "Christian" group. Jesus came to Earth for ALL people of ALL walks of life.

Kudos to Gap for including ALL people and ALL walks of life in your commercial. Jesus would never exclude somebody for being different.

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scenegirl9981, 11-16-2009, 3:45PM

Amen to that!!

PrimeSax, 11-16-2009, 5:58PM

Actually, that's not entirely true. Jesus did exclude certain people, and in fact He soundly criticized some for their lack of belief or their insistence on preaching their own propaganda. He also whipped the moneylenders in the temple . . .
However, that's not the point.
Christians are free to celebrate Christmas (at least for now), and other groups are free to celebrate the holidays in whatever fashion they desire. The ad is not offensive to anyone. It's advertising.

gobluespartyon, 11-16-2009, 6:10PM

Your dead wrong Catcratch you don't know what your talking about your reading too much into the ad it said Christmas so your wrong there and this has nothing to do with Obama keep politics out of this topic.

ribbit, 11-16-2009, 6:32PM

Catscratch--you don't sound really Christ-like with that vitriol you're spewing. I recommend that you follow the ways of Christ by using language that isn't so divisive. That's just an observation. Peace.

Cindy Stauffer, 11-16-2009, 7:11PM

Catscratch.........you are one of the most un Christian like people I have ever seen, it is no wonder with attitudes like yours that people are turning away from religion, I think God and Jesus would be embarrassed to call you one of theirs

Danny, 11-16-2009, 2:24PM

Hey, AFA? Do us a big favor: Die.

Reply »

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