Gap skips TV ads and tries to get back to its roots

The Wall Street Journal talked to Marka Hansen, president of Gap North America, about changes to their marketing plan and their products. While Gap works toward getting back to their roots of modern basics, they’ll skip TV advertising and rely on word of mouth.

WSJ: Who is the Gap’s core customer now, and how has that changed, if at all?

Ms. Hansen: Our stake in the ground is ages 25 to 35, and that’s the customer we want. Twenty-five to 35 covers you from kind of postcollege to getting married to maybe having the first child. This puts you from the Gap itself into the babyGap and GapMaternity, but it’s not trying to be everything to everyone.

When I got here, I think the team was more focused on 18 to 24 and really going after that kind of younger demographic that is where American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch play. I don’t think that is right for us.

WSJ: What would you say is the Gap aesthetic now and how has it changed, if at all?

Ms. Hansen: There is a bit of a move in our product strategy to some of the things that we believe we invented, like color: doing tank tops in 12 colors, making these things something you can pick up two, three or four of. That is something that is our heritage. It’s rooted in classics but made modern or current.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121557005759338205.html?mod=PageOne_1

With slumping retail sales due to the economy, will Gap and other fashion brands be able to rely on word of mouth? Where can a digital presence help boost their new product strategy while other marketing dollars are being slashed?

- Posted by Terri