Finding the Jobs

If the GAP’s new logo really was a contender for the company’s new look, and was abandoned almost as quickly as it was rolled out, one question has to be asked:

Was it really serious?

Phrases like “focus groups,” “dry run” and “market research” come to mind, as in Why didn’t GAP use them effectively?

And because those phrases came so readily to mind from someone who’s not a marketing expert leads me to conclude one thing:  the GAP was pulling our leg.  The company perpetrated a brilliant stealth campaign to  get us to pay attention.  And guess what?

We did.

That said, the folks from the GAP viewed it somewhat differently:

“Since we rolled out an updated version of our logo last week on our website, we’ve seen an outpouring of comments from customers and the online community in support of the iconic blue box logo.

At Gap brand, our customers have always come first. We’ve been listening to and watching all of the comments this past week. We heard them say over and over again they are passionate about our blue box logo, and they want it back. So we’ve made the decision to do just that – we will bring it back across all channels.”

Hmm.

Do I hear the sound of the New Coke campaign jingle music of yesteryear, the music that heralded the launch of a new version of Coke, one that like the GAP logo, was also roundly rejected by the public?

And is there some significance to the fact that the lead villian, Mark Zuckerberg (played so brilliantly by the actor Jesse Eisenberg) wore a GAP hooded sweatshirt it in the new movie, The Social Network.  And now after having gotten our attention, does GAP hope to revitalize its image with the logo fiasco?

And is that similar to way critics have suggested Mark Zuckerberg did get our attention by announcing that he was giving New Jersey public schools $100 million dollars?

Talk about product placement.

What do you think?  Stealth campaign or genuine flub?

Leave a comment below, or email info to me at heathertaylormedia@gmail.com.