Normal Is Boring

This fall, Gap released a new ad campaign with the tagline “Dress Normal”. The ads have been met with mixed emotions and I can’t say I’m sold on their new direction either.

Gap has always been a very “vanilla” brand, selling plain, preppy clothing; it seems that they’re trying to shed this image by becoming a little more edgy, if cardigans and khakis could be edgy. The ads, most of which feature celebrities, are all pretty dull in colour and feature the model or celebrity doing normal everyday stuff, pretty dull all around if you ask me. And then there’s the tagline, “Dress Normal”. What does that even mean? Is there even a definition of normal in fashion anymore? Or are they trying to say that the cardigans and khakis they sell are what’s normal and that we should stick to wearing basics? In a world of individualism and wanting to stand out, who really wants to dress normally like everyone else? Not I.

It’s funny how the look of the campaign gives off an edgy vibe when really the company and the clothes they sell haven’t changed at all. If you visit Gap’s website you’ll see the same bright colours and cheerful models wearing the same simple clothing that Gap has always sold.

It’s safe to say that what Gap wanted with this campaign was to stir up some buzz, which they have accomplished. The ads have become quite talked about since their release but it hasn’t been all praise. Nice try Gap but abnormal is the new normal.