Articles
Analyst — written by by Genevieve Torkornoo, September 2025
It’s been almost a week since Gap released its advertisement featuring Katseye. In this short time span, the brand’s popularity has spiked by 100% and its stock value has seen a 3.4% increase.
So what made this campaign resonate so strongly?
The ad tapped directly into nostalgia, using Milkshake by Kelis, a well-loved song in the early 2000s. Paired with their newest line of Y2K styled denim attire, the campaign evoked a sense of familiarity and fun that resonates across both Gen Z and Millennials.
By featuring Katseye, a rising international girl group that in the past leveraged Y2k style, through music, dance, and clothes. The campaign caught a large fandom's attention and ultimately widened the campaign’s reach on an international scale
The camera work and editing took viewers on a cinematic journey. Unlike many American ads, Gap utilized full choreography with multiple moving parts, which is less common in western but more common in Korean advertisements. Idol groups in Korea often collaborate with brands through custom songs and dances, creating a visual experience that is long-lasting and immersive. Some examples of this are Infinite's Pepsi ad, Girls’ Generation’s Visual Dreams for Intel, Orange Caramel’s Abing Abing an ad for Bingsu. Bringing this style to a U.S. brand made the ad stand out in the American market.
The visual design of the advertisement contrasted darker neutral tones (black, brown) with Katseye’s signature light blue, the only saturated pop of color in the frame. Combined with converging lines in the cinematography, this ensured the viewer’s eyes were always drawn back to Katseye and most importantly, the jeans.