As winter is fast approaching, clothing companies have begun their holiday campaigns for 2013. Each year, clothing ads become redundant- you see good-looking models in warm coats in a winter background or a high class dinner party. Boring.
The All-American retailer, Gap, kept the holiday tradition alive with their campaign “#MakeLove,” featuring portraits of a diverse group of cultural icons- from civil rights icon Harry Belafonte to music celebrities such as Tony Bennett and Cyndi Lauper. As marketing blogsite brandchannel mentioned, the retailer has received much attention and praise for featuring Indian-American designer and actor Waris Ahluwalia wearing a traditional Sikh turban.
Waris Ahluwalia is a prominent Sikh celebrity in America, with his fashion line House of Waris and film appearances such as “The Carrie Diaries” and “Inside Man.”
The blogsite continues to applaud the retailer’s risky marketing campaign that embraces cultural diversity and emphasizes global beauty. Customers are quoted applauding Gap’s fresh take on their holiday season campaign which goes to show consumers are not adverse to change. The campaign has given consumers this holiday season by broadening perspectives to become more inclusive.
It was a large risk for Gap to take by using these iconic figures, but in the end provided a positive impact this holiday season. Taking risks is a big gamble for companies, but can lead to large profits and success if all goes well.
