DRESS NORMAL BY WIEDEN + KENNEDY FOR GAP
David Fincher, who directed Fight Club and The Social Network, has got behind the camera for Gap’s return to television advertising.
Academy Award-nominated Fincher, who also directed the English film adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, has directed four cryptic spots for Gap’s "Dress Normal" campaign, which was created by Wieden & Kennedy New York.
The film noir-style ads feature a confident woman as the protagonist and use taglines such as “dress like no one’s watching”.
In one spot, a soaking wet woman gets undressed in the backseat of a car while her dry companions look on. The tagline: "the uniform of rebellion and conformity." Another ad shows a man breathlessly running up a set of winding stairs as a young woman looks down on him from several flights up. The tagline: "Simple clothes for you to complicate."
They are all shot in black and white, making viewers feel as if they're caught in the middle of a story. (and gives a subtle nod to Gap’s fashion point of view that black denim is the must have trend this Autumn. All were filmed in and around Los Angeles - “Golf” was filmed on location in Industry, California and “Stairs” was filmed in Pasadena City Hall.
According to the brand, “Dress Normal” is rooted in the same core values that Gap has “unapologetically stood for over the past 45 years – individualism and the liberation that comes from confidently being your most authentic self”. The campaign boldly instructs individuals to shape their own authentic, personal style, intentionally challenging people to dress for themselves.
“We want these films to get people talking. Each one features a confident woman at the centre and tells a story of how liberating it is when you are being your most authentic self. We believe everyone who watches them will identify with one or more of the characters,” says Seth Farbman, Gap Global Chief Marketing Officer.
“We were thrilled to work with David Fincher, one of the greats of modern American cinema and a superb storyteller. His highly detailed and authentic style resonates with the Gap brand and these films truly bring to life what our Dress Normal message means.”
The commercials appear alongside a print ads shot by Glen Luchford that feature photography stills of recognisable people who are known for their own art of dressing ‘normal’, starting with Anjelica Huston, Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss, Michael K. Williams of Boardwalk Empire and the Wire, Jena Malone of The Hunger Games Catching Fire and Zosia Mamet of HBO’s cult show Girls.
“We were inspired by the bold and honest spirit of the millennial generation; their authenticity is what makes them stand apart in today’s complex world,” says Stephen Sunnucks, Gap Global President.
“Gap has always stood for individuality and being your most authentic self. By challenging the idea of what it means to dress normal, we hope to inspire confidence in everyone’s own personal style.”
In addition to television, the campaign spans outdoor, mobile, direct, social, in store and digital. Gap has also enhanced its Styld.by platform with amplified digital and video content and a broader range of creative influencers, including popular bloggers, style experts, musicians, photographers, filmmakers and artists to curate the best fall looks and illustrate their version of Dress Normal.
In mid-September, the brand will launch an experiential element to the campaign – the Dress Normal Project – which brings to life what it means to dress normal through the lens of consumers across North America.
9 September 2014
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