Dive Brief:
- Gap Inc. is enlisting employees to join its creator program to promote Old Navy, Gap, Athleta and Banana Republic, the apparel company said in a press release Wednesday.
- The program is now open to applications from Gap Inc.’s corporate, distribution and store staff. The retailer will provide guidelines regarding its expectations for transparency, disclosure and brand standards.
- Content opportunities span newsletters, social media channels, branded content, product storytelling and creator spotlights.
Dive Insight:
By bringing its employees into the fold, Gap Inc. wants to build upon the growth its creator program has already seen.
When Gap Inc. started the effort in October, the company offered it to creators aged 18 and over with at least 1,000 followers on a given social media platform. Since then, the program has reached nearly 154 million consumers across almost 30,000 posts, per the press release.
“Our employees know our brands, products and customers better than anyone,” Damon Berger, senior vice president of marketing shared services at Gap Inc., said in a statement. “By expanding this program to eligible employees across our offices, stores and distribution centers, we’re giving them a way to become influencers —earning commission and product while sharing what they love and bringing our brands to life through authentic storytelling.”
Like Gap Inc., David’s Bridal is also leaning into its staff to boost its customer base. In January, the bridal retailer launched its “David’s Style Squad” ambassador program, which pays participants, including retail associates, between 5% and 15% in commission on net sales and offers select ambassadors 20% commission and other perks.
As Gap works to grow its online presence, its namesake subsidiary has tapped celebrities to hype up its products in nostalgia-heavy ads. About a year ago, Gap debuted its denim ad featuring girl group Katseye dancing to “Milkshake” by Kelis. Earlier this month, the brand teamed up with Hailey Bieber to launch a limited-edition denim capsule collection, harkening back to the ‘90s with an ad featuring a boombox, a corded phone, a vintage desktop computer and a CRT TV.
Gap also recently released a Happy Stripe capsule collection, which sparked controversy online, with shoppers and influencers decrying its polyester fabric and printed mirage loops.
Still, the namesake brand is boosting company results. Gap Inc. reported a 1% increase in Q1 net sales to $3.5 billion, with its namesake brand growing at a higher rate than its sister brands. Gap’s net sales jumped 10% from a year earlier to $796 million, while Old Navy and Banana Republic each reported a 1% bump in net sales year over year to $2 billion and $431 million, respectively. Meanwhile, Athleta’s sales dropped 12% from the previous year to $270 million.
“What I would say is Gap is back on the forefront of the cultural conversation,” Gap Inc. CEO Richard Dickson said during an earnings call in May. “It is clearly on a roll as an iconic American brand. We see significant runway ahead as we continue to build momentum through great product, great storytelling, and of course, great execution.”