Gap’s ‘Better in Denim’ Bet Pays Off as Katseye Campaign Fuels Q3 Surge

Gap’s latest denim push hasn’t just dominated social feeds – it has moved the needle where it counts. 

A recent campaign with girl group Katseye delivered a staggering 8 billion media impressions and helped drive double-digit gains in the key adult denim category. That groundswell of attention fed directly into a strong fiscal third quarter for the retailer.

For the period ended 1 November, comparable sales at Gap – a key indicator of retail health – rose 7% year over year to $951 million, according to parent company Gap Inc.’s earnings statement. 

It marked the eighth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales growth for the brand, underlining that this was not a one-off spike, but momentum building over time.

‘Better in Denim’: Culture-First Creative, Commercial Results

At the centre of the surge sits “Better in Denim,” a music-driven campaign that sees Katseye dance to Kelis’ 2003 hit “Milkshake”. 

The creative quickly went viral, amassing more than 500 million views across platforms and driving significant traffic to Gap’s channels and stores. Internally, the denim category recorded double-digit growth, reflecting the ad’s ability not just to entertain but to convert.

Gap is now the No. 6 adult denim brand in the United States, up two spots from its 2024 ranking. For a business that has spent the last few years reshaping its brand identity, climbing the denim league table is a symbolic and commercial win. 

Denim has always been core to Gap’s offer; the Katseye collaboration has helped put that heritage back into the heart of the cultural conversation.

A Repeatable Playbook, Not a Lucky Break

Gap Inc.’s CEO described the Katseye campaign as a proof point of the company’s “playbook in action” – pairing trend-right product with culturally relevant storytelling. 

They characterised the collaboration as a “true cultural takeover,” and emphasised that the methodology behind “Better in Denim” is something Gap plans to lean into repeatedly, rather than treat as a one-off success.

Indeed, “Better in Denim” did not arrive out of nowhere. It builds on a pattern of seasonal marketing pushes that place on-the-rise musicians at the forefront, set against established songs that evoke nostalgia and cross-generational appeal. 

In 2024, pop singer Troye Sivan fronted Gap’s fall-focused denim campaign, performing elaborate choreography to Thundercat’s track “Funny Thing”. These campaigns are less about straightforward product shots and more about creating moments that feel at home in music and pop culture, with the clothes woven into the story rather than just displayed.

Holiday Marketing Keeps the Music Playing

The strategy extends beyond denim and into Gap’s broader seasonal storytelling. Earlier this month, the brand debuted its 2025 holiday marketing campaign, “Give Your Gift,” centred on a cover of Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” by artist Sienna Spiro. 

The spot is designed to tap into emotion and nostalgia, while connecting different generations through “music, creativity and culture,” as the CEO put it.

Alongside the emotional narrative, the campaign promotes products made with Gap’s proprietary CashSoft fabric as go-to gift ideas. That combination of sentiment and clear product focus mirrors the Katseye blueprint: find a cultural hook, pair it with a recognisable song, and make sure the clothes feel like the natural extension of the story.

Social-First Strategy for a New Generation of Shoppers

Behind the big creative moments sits a very deliberate media strategy. The CEO has been clear that Gap is “driving digital dialogue messages,” with social media serving as the No. 1 platform for its consumers. 

Influencer content is now one of the most common ways Gen Z and millennials discover products, and Gap’s recent performance suggests the brand is reading that shift correctly.

The Katseye activation, Troye Sivan’s campaign and the holiday “Give Your Gift” push are all designed to be native to social feeds rather than simply cut-down TV spots. Short-form clips, choreography, and recognisable tracks combine to encourage sharing, remixes and commentary, helping campaigns travel far beyond traditional paid placements. 

According to the company, this influencer- and creator-led approach is delivering particularly strong results with younger cohorts, who increasingly expect brands to behave like publishers and entertainers.

Broadening Appeal: From Gen Z to High-Income Shoppers

Gap’s cultural repositioning is not solely about youth appeal. Alongside its focus on music, influencers and social-first storytelling, the brand is also attracting more high-income shoppers, helped by a series of designer collaborations. 

Recent partnerships, including one with New York-based designer Sandy Liang, have added a premium edge and fashion credibility that support higher price points and broader wardrobe relevance.

This two-pronged approach – winning with Gen Z and millennials through culturally plugged-in campaigns while drawing in higher earners via elevated collaborations – is helping Gap hedge against wider headwinds. 

With tariffs and economic uncertainty putting pressure on discretionary spending, brands that can feel both relevant and aspirational are better placed to maintain volume and value.

Denim Wars: A Competitive, Sometimes Controversial Arena

Gap is not alone in using bold, culture-led marketing to stand out in the crowded denim market. Rival American Eagle also went viral with a fall denim campaign fronted by actor Sydney Sweeney. 

While the ads successfully grabbed national attention and drew in new customers, they did so partly through controversy: critics argued that the campaign’s messaging – which linked “good genetics” with “good jeans” – could be read as problematic.

The contrast is telling. Both brands are chasing virality and cultural conversation, but Gap’s success with “Better in Denim” has been rooted in positivity, inclusivity and shared nostalgia, rather than controversy. 

The focus has remained firmly on joy, self-expression and the product itself, rather than provocative messaging.

Conclusion: Culture as a Long-Term Growth Engine

Gap’s recent quarter shows how a well-executed cultural strategy can translate into concrete business results. The Katseye-led “Better in Denim” campaign delivered 8 billion media impressions, more than 500 million views, and double-digit growth in adult denim, helping push comparable sales up 7% to $951 million and securing an eighth consecutive quarter of positive comp growth. 

At the same time, the brand has climbed to No. 6 in the U.S. adult denim rankings, while broadening its appeal to both trend-conscious Gen Z shoppers and higher-income customers.

Rather than treating these wins as isolated hits, Gap is framing them as part of a repeatable playbook: trend-right product, music-led storytelling, social-first distribution and smart collaborations. 

In a retail environment shaped by tariffs, shifting spending habits and fierce competition, the company is betting that culture – thoughtfully tapped and consistently executed – can be a long-term growth engine, not just a marketing moment.