Thursday, November 29, 2018

Give Love. Give Gap




One thing that Gap is definitely known for is their advertisements that usually convey a simple message within the ad. The advertisement is an example of content marketing which is "The creation and sharing of digital content with the aim of promoting or selling a brand, product or service" (Posner 2015). The video features American singer Leon Bridges as he is surrounded by other people dancing around each other. This is Gap`s official Christmas advert but, it is also in support of the LGBT community as they are different colours featured in the video which everyone is wearing.

In addition to this, by Gap support the LGBT community relates to Maslow`s hierarchy of needs. Although, love in the original Maslow`s hierarchy of needs love is shown as physiological need but, some people think it should be a basic need. This is one of the messages that Gap are trying to convey here. "Love is an important prerequisite for a feeling of safety both in materially secure modern societies and in primitive and dangerous societies" (Oved 2017). Maslow`s hierarchy of needs is important to any business including Gap because, it relates to human behaviour and decision making. Due to the fact, that Gap is fulfilling of the needs on the hierarchy viewers of the video are going to be inclined to buy products from the company. As well as, this Maslow`s hierarchy of needs shows that self-actualisation is at the top which relates to "Self fulfilment or fulfilling own potential. Consumer pay purchase equipment or clothing for travel or hobbies. Individual style may be created to express fun or sense of freedom." (Posner, 2011).

Apart from the singer and the little dancing girl no one in the video seems to be wearing the same top which suggests that Gap is all about individualism. Gap knows that not everyone is the same and therefore not everyone is going to have the same style when it comes to clothing and they are acknowledging the fact that "we have different clothes to cater for everyone". This is because, "Fashion customers will have a variety of clothing needs dependent on their lifestyle and personality" (Posner 2015). As well as this, in the video you can clearly tell who Gap`s target audience are as the ad features boys males and females aged between 3-60 as well as people of different ethnicity. This leads to customer segmentation which contributes a vital role in marketing. As segmentation helps Gap understand their customers and what products their can provide based on their age, gender, job and income.

Type of segmen-
tation
Segmentation CriteriaGap Inc. Target Customer Segment

GapBanana RepublicOld NavyIntermixAthleta

Geogra-phic
RegionNorth America
Asia, Europe
North America
Asia, Europe
North America
Asia
North AmericaNorth America
Den-sityUrban, RuralUrban, RuralUrban, RuralUrbanUrban

Demog-raphic
Age3 – 4518-403 – 4018 – 4516 – 50
Gen-derMales & FemalesMales & FemalesMales & FemalesMales & FemalesFemales
Life-cycle stageBachelor Stage
Newly Married Couples
Full Nest I
Full Nest II
Bachelor Stage
Newly Married Couples
Full Nest I

Bachelor Stage
Newly Married Couples
Full Nest I

Bachelor Stage
Newly Married Couples
Full Nest I
Bachelor Stage
Newly Married Couples
OccupationStudents, employees, professionalsStudents, employees, professionalsStudents,
employees, professionals
employees, professionalsemployees, professionals
Behavi-oralDegree of loyalty‘Hard core loyals’
‘Soft core loyals’
‘Switchers’
‘Hard core loyals’
‘Soft core loyals’
‘Switchers’
‘Hard core loyals’
‘Soft core loyals’
‘Switchers’
‘Hard core loyals’
‘Soft core loyals’
‘Switchers’
‘Hard core loyals’
‘Soft core loyals’
‘Switchers’
Benefits soughtCost advantage
Self-expression
Self-expressionSelf-expressionSelf-expression
Cost advantage
Functionality
Perception of leading healthy lifestyle
PersonalityEasygoingEasygoingEasygoingDetermined and ambitiousDetermined and ambitious
User statusregular users, or ex-users of a productnon-users, potential users,non-users, potential users,non-users, potential users, first-time users, regularnon-users, potential users, first-time users
Psychog-raphicSocial classLower class/working class/middle class/working class/middle class/working class/middle class/middle class/upper classmiddle class/upper class
Lifestyle[1]Struggler
Aspirer
Explorer
Aspirer
Succeeder
Explorer

Succeeder
Explorer
Reformer
Aspirer
Succeeder
Explorer

Aspirer
Succeeder

Figure 1- Table of Gap`s target audience

Gap decided to heavily focus on the "product" specifically out of all the 4P`s (price. product, promotion and place). Everyone in the video are wearing jeans but, different types of jeans. One person is wearing distressed jeans while another is wearing bootcut and another slim fit and this is still keeping with the theme of individualism. This is because, Gap want to still remain traditional as they are well known for their jeans which happen to their most popular product.

References

Oved, O. 2017. Symposium; Revisiting Maslow: Human Needs in the 21st Century. Society. 54(6), pp.537-538.

Posner, H. 2011. Marketing Fashion. London: Laurence King

Posner, H. 2015. Marketing Fashion: Strategy: Branding and Promotion. 2nd edition. London: Laurence King
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