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 Criteria | Gap Inc. Target Customer Segment | ||||
Gap | Banana Republic | Old Navy | Intermix | Athleta | ||
Geogra-phic
| Region | North America
Asia, Europe
| North America
Asia, Europe
| North America
Asia
| North America | North America |
Den-sity | Urban, Rural | Urban, Rural | Urban, Rural | Urban | Urban | |
Demog-raphic
| Age | 3 – 45 | 18-40 | 3 – 40 | 18 – 45 | 16 – 50 |
Gen-der | Males & Females | Males & Females | Males & Females | Males & Females | Females | |
Life-cycle stage | Bachelor 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
| |
Occupation | Students, employees, professionals | Students, employees, professionals | Students,
employees, professionals
| employees, professionals | employees, professionals | |
Behavi-oral | Degree 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 sought | Cost advantage
Self-expression
| Self-expression | Self-expression | Self-expression
Cost advantage
| Functionality
Perception of leading healthy lifestyle
| |
Personality | Easygoing | Easygoing | Easygoing | Determined and ambitious | Determined and ambitious | |
User status | regular users, or ex-users of a product | non-users, potential users, | non-users, potential users, | non-users, potential users, first-time users, regular | non-users, potential users, first-time users | |
Psychog-raphic | Social class | Lower class/working class/middle class/ | working class/middle class/ | working class/middle class/ | middle class/upper class | middle 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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