American fashion brand Gap has stirred interest with its “Better in Denim” commercial. The ad showcases six young women, accompanied by an impressive array of dancers, performing intricate choreography to Kelis’ well-known 2003 track, “Milkshake.” Fans of pop culture might identify these young women as the members of Katseye, an international girl group signed with the South Korean company Hybe UMG and the American label Geffen Records.

Katseye, which made its debut in 2024, has seen a meteoric rise in recognition and success, bolstered by their popular second EP, “Beautiful Chaos.” This timing couldn’t be better for Gap to feature them in a campaign that’s gone viral, garnering close to eight million YouTube views within a week. The commercial was directed by Bethany Vargas, noted for her work on Lady Gaga’s successful music video “Abracadabra.”

The intricate dance moves in the commercial were designed by Robbie Blue, who, since 2024, has contributed to the choreography in music videos for artists like Doechii, Tinashe, and Tate McRae. Vargas and Blue have effectively showcased the dynamic energy, charisma, and coordinated movements of Katseye, talents that the group had previously highlighted in both music videos and live shows before partnering with Gap. This denim-focused advertisement serves as a celebration for Katseye following extensive efforts and strategic pop maneuvers.

Katseye was formed through the reality talent competition “Dream Academy,” a collaborative production by Hybe and Geffen that streamed on YouTube from August to November 2023. The program featured 20 aspiring performers from across the globe, participating in singing and dancing tasks until the final selection of six was made, eventually earning the name “Katseye,” after the yellow cymophane gemstone.

Conceptualized as a global entity, Katseye integrates the meticulous planning, rigorous training, and comprehensive branding typical of K-pop girl groups while embracing a broader artistic scope, thematic freedom, and cultural diversity. The group consists of Sophia Laforteza from the Philippines, Jeung Yoonchae from South Korea, Manon Bannerman from Switzerland, and Lara Raj, Daniela Avanzini, and Megan Skendiel from the U.S. They officially debuted in June 2024 with their single “Debut,” as well as releasing two five-track EPs: “SIS (Soft Is Strong)” in August 2024, and “Beautiful Chaos” in June 2025.

“Beautiful Chaos” has not only excelled in the charts but also propelled singles like “Gnarly,” a hyperpop sensation that went viral online, and “Gabriela,” an R&B tune with Latin pop influences that has become their most successful track internationally. The music videos for “Gnarly” and “Gabriela” are marked by equally complex choreography as seen in the Gap “Better in Denim” ad, alongside the playful humor and captivating group dynamic that are now synonymous with Katseye.

The significance of the “Better in Denim” commercial as a supernova moment for the Katseye girls is not its only claim to cultural ubiquity. The ad also marks a second chapter in the ongoing “jeans culture wars” that have engulfed the United States zeitgeist and sparked a torrent of social media discourse.

The Katseye Gap ad has been interpreted by many news outlets, Katseye fans, and casual viewers as a sly response to the Sydney Sweeney American Eagle commercial, which places the 27-year-old American actress in several minimalist stage setups as she encourages viewers to buy American Eagle jeans — an invitation capped by the wordplay slogan “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.” Thanks in particular to a part in which Sweeney says that “genes are passed down from parent to offspring” and “[her] ‘jeans’ are blue,” the ad has been accused by some of playing to eugenicist and white supremacist ideas, while others have decried such claims as exaggerated.

Whatever the case, the commercial became the center of intense political turmoil, and the Gap commercial has been read as a response for several reasons: It features a similar studio setup; Katseye is a group known for its cultural and ethnic diversity; and the chorus of “Milkshake” has the girls confidently lip-sync to the lyrics “It’s better than yours.” Whether or not it was truly intended as a response, the fact remains that denim ads have become a central cultural artifact of 2025.