Gap’s latest “Better In Denim” jeans ad, featuring the contrived multicultural girl group Katseye dancing to “Milkshake,” comes across as a knee-jerk response to American Eagle’s wildly successful “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign, but the obvious pandering to diversity quotas feels like a pathetic overcorrection that misses the mark on genuine appeal and reeks of corporate desperation to stay “relevant” in a polarized market.

Why it matters: Gap’s attempt at incorporating progressive, enforced diversity in their marketing not only underscores their struggle to compete against more genuine campaigns but also reveals how brands like Gap turn to box-ticking inclusivity to showcase virtue-signaling. This could alienate consumers who can discern the superficial approach, favoring brands that prioritize product quality over political messaging, a strategy that’s becoming increasingly counterproductive in today’s polarized environment.

Driving the news: Gap introduced its campaign shortly after American Eagle’s, highlighting Katseye’s diverse cast to promote self-expression through music and dance.

• Gap’s ad spotlights Katseye—members from the U.S., Philippines, South Korea, and Switzerland—performing to “Milkshake” in denim, a stark contrast to Sweeney’s solo, bust-focused charm.
• Brand President Mark Breitbard called it “fresh, relevant, original,” but it screams overcompensation amid the Sweeney backlash.
• Katseye members noted, “Gap didn’t ask us to fit in — they invited us to show up as we are,” yet the ad’s inclusivity looks scripted, lacking the organic fun of American Eagle’s approach.

Catch up quick: American Eagle’s summer ads, featuring Sydney Sweeney, cleverly highlighted her physique for their “Great Jeans” tagline. However, a small group termed it white supremacy, gaining traction on both sides. Gap, trying to regain cultural relevance, followed with Katseye—a 2024-formed group with 5 million Instagram followers and albums like SIS (Soft is Strong)—to promote “self-expression,” yet it seems like a weak attempt at virtue-signaling.

The intrigue: The timing of Gap’s campaign, coming soon after Sweeney’s ads, implies a strategy to stir controversy for attention, but using a group like Katseye appears as an easy attempt at diversity optics rather than clever marketing. The ad’s forced multicultural approach overlooks the fact that consumers purchase jeans for their fit and style, not ideological lectures—Gap’s move seems like a desperate bid to counter Sweeney’s natural appeal with forced inclusivity.

The bottom line: Gap’s Katseye ad is an ill-conceived, overly progressive move that undermines genuine diversity by using it as a weapon against American Eagle’s engaging Sweeney campaign—brands should focus on selling clothing, not pushing agendas. Gap’s urgent shift to multicultural appeals only serves to highlight their disconnect, potentially turning away customers who can perceive the insincere inclusivity and value authentic marketing over corporate virtue-signaling.