It’s the unscripted, out-of-pocket, random answers and genuine interactions that draw people in. People love hearing different perspectives, and that kind of content has become one of the most engaging formats on social media, and is something brands are quickly catching onto.

Creators are now filling our feeds with street interviews that feel authentic, surprising, and easily shareable, but what makes this kind of content hit hard? More importantly, how can your brand tap into that same magic to make content that truly connects? Let’s break down the trend that’s reshaping the way brands talk to their audiences.

What It Means to Hit The Streets

So, what are MOTS interviews? Short for “man-on-the-street”, these are informal interviews where hosts or interviewers ask everyday people about their opinions and experiences on various topics. At its core, this style of content is completely unpredictable; just pure reactions and responses from real people.

It began as a reporting technique for network news: field reporters headed out to cover breaking stories or weather updates, taking an extra second to stop a couple of random strangers to get their immediate reactions and opinions on the news of the day.

The ratings didn’t lie; viewers ate this up. Showcasing everyday people made audiences feel connected and understood. These “regular” humans voicing their opinions made the news feel more authentic and entertaining (especially when things went south on live TV, like receiving unhinged answers or bloopers of people in the background). Now, combine that with the rise of internet culture? You’ve struck gold.

Shows like Billy on the Street are a perfect example, where comedian Billy Eichner lurks the streets of New York City, running up to people to ask the hottest pop culture questions. That in-your-face style, high-energy approach is what gets people hooked; and what separates MOTS from boring reportive news. 

Why This Content Format Is Dominating Right Now

We know this format is crushing it on socials for its unfiltered and honest content, but what is it specifically that has people wanting more?

The Currency of Authenticity

Everything nowadays feels overly produced, and even reality TV isn’t really reality TV anymore. Shows and media are all filtered, so when something raw and unpolished shows up, it feels refreshing (add into this mix the rebellion against AI-generated content, and you’ll see what I mean).

When brands tap into true authenticity, it feels empathetic, showing viewers that your brand listens, and that you understand the type of content that resonates with users. This shift toward genuine, creator-led content has redefined how audiences perceive brand messaging: moving away from polished influencer promotions toward relatable, human interactions that build real trust.

💡 Pro Tip: Brands and content creators can also use this format to try to understand what people want and what they look for, depending on the topic, which in turn becomes easy market research.

MOTS Is Built For Engagement

Short-form videos like man-on-the-street content are easily shareable and are more likely to gain attention and engagement. In fact, short-form videos generate 2.5 times more engagement than longer videos, with 66% of marketers saying these bite-sized clips are the most engaging form of social content. The shareability factor lies mostly within the element of surprise within the video and the invitation to form an opinion as a viewer.

It forces viewers to put themselves in the interviewees’ shoes and think, “What would I say?” or “You couldn’t waterboard this out of me.” It starts a snowball effect, with the most engaged viewers sharing first with friends and family to get their opinion, and spiderwebbing out into a world of reach.

Algorithm-Friendliness

As much as retaining the “human element” remains Priority Number One, brands also need to understand that they are now posting for the algorithm, not for their followers. This format, with quick cuts and different responses, can easily be read by social media algorithms and put on the feeds of those who will understand and will want to interact with. TikTok leads all platforms with an average engagement rate of 2.50% (five times higher than Instagram) making it the ideal platform for this type of authentic, rapid-fire content.

Our Top 4 Man-on-the-Street Content Creators & Why It Works

Billy on the Street

Billy on the Street originally aired on Fuse and truTV from 2011-2018 (with additional digital episodes through 2022). The show features comedian Billy Eichner sprinting through the streets of New York City in his signature high-energy, unfiltered style, ambushing unsuspecting pedestrians with rapid-fire pop culture trivia questions for cash prizes.

Often joined by celebrity guests ranging from Michelle Obama to Will Ferrell, Eichner’s manic enthusiasm and willingness to be brutally honest with strangers (sometimes with consequences) is a unique blend of comedy, cultural commentary, and genuine surprise.

The show earned four Emmy nominations and has become a cult classic.

Why it works:

• High-energy, confrontational format: Billy Eichner’s in-your-face approach and willingness to argue with strangers creates unpredictable, laugh-out-loud moments that feel genuinely spontaneous.
• Celebrity integration that enhances rather than overshadows: A-list guests like Julianne Moore, Seth Rogen, and even First Lady Michelle Obama participate in absurd games that showcase their personalities in unexpected ways.
• Memorable recurring characters and segments: From beloved contestant Elena to games like “Quizzed in the Face,” the show built a universe of inside jokes that kept audiences coming back.

What’s Poppin? With Davis!

What’s Poppin? With Davis! is a viral TikTok man-on-the-street series hosted by Davis Burleson. Since its launch in the early 2020s, the show has amassed 2.1M+ followers and 229.8M+ likes by capturing the essence of New York City through rapid-fire interviews with everyday people (and occasional celebrities) at Washington Square Park.

Host Davis Burleson, a Houston native who moved to NYC to study photography, brings charm, wit, and energy to every interaction; he asks questions about everything from pop culture to dating to eating pigeons (yeah, you read that right).

His signature style has led to major opportunities including hosting backstage streams at the Grammy Awards, appearing on Project Runway, and working with brands during Copenhagen Fashion Week.

Why it works:

• Authentic New York personality: Davis captures the vibrant, diverse spirit of NYC by interviewing real people in iconic locations, making viewers feel connected to the city’s unique energy.
• Rapid-fire, conversational format: The quick pace and Davis’s natural charm keep content snackable and shareable, perfect for TikTok’s algorithm while maintaining genuine human connection.
• Consistent location creates community: By regularly filming at Washington Square Park, Davis has built a recognizable brand and community of fans who hope to be interviewed, creating organic buzz and repeat viewership.

Gaydar

Gaydar is a groundbreaking TikTok series hosted by drag queen, content creator, and actress Anania Williams (who has 2.3M followers of her own). Launched in July 2024, Gaydar combines comedy with queer history education through a format where Anania quizzes unsuspecting New Yorkers (and, of course, occasionally celebrities like Chappell Roan, Bob the Drag Queen, and even New York mayor Zohran Mamdani) to determine if they’re “gay, straight, or a homophobe.”

The questions range from pop culture trivia to important LGBTQ+ legislative history, creating an accessible entry point for folks to learn about queer culture while being thoroughly entertained. With 286.8K+ followers, over 80 million views, and 12.1 million likes in its first year, Gaydar has become the internet’s unofficial queer history teacher.

Why it works:

• Education disguised as entertainment: Gaydar teaches crucial queer history and cultural moments that many people missed in school, making learning feel fun rather than heavy-handed.
• Anania’s disarming charisma: Anania brings warmth, humor, and authenticity that makes even nervous straight participants feel comfortable opening up and having fun.
• Perfect timing and cultural relevance: Launching in the era of Reneé Rapp and Chappell Roan, the show taps into growing mainstream interest in queer culture while providing substance beyond surface-level allyship.

SubwayTakes

One of TikTok’s most popular interview series, SubwayTakes is hosted by comedian and media personality Kareem Rahma. Launched in 2023, the show features Rahma (almost always dressed in an oversized vintage suit and signature dark sunglasses) roaming the New York City subway system with a microphone clipped to a MetroCard, asking passengers to share and defend their most controversial or unique opinions (aka, their “take”).

What started as a casual experiment has exploded into a cultural phenomenon with 1.3M+ followers and 77.9M+ likes, attracting A-list celebrities like Cate Blanchett, Lil Nas X, FKA Twigs, and many more.

Since its inception, Rahma has expanded SubwayTakes into a podcast (SubwayTakes Uncut) and secured brand partnerships with companies like Google, Microsoft, and UPS.

Why it works:

• Embraces playful debate over cancel culture: SubwayTakes creates a rare space where people can argue about absurd opinions (like “we should throw all chiropractors in prison”) without anyone getting genuinely offended, restoring the lost art of debating just for fun.
• Transit as the ultimate equalizer: Filming on the subway democratizes celebrity interviews, putting everyone on the same playing field and creating authentic moments as opposed to polished press junket soundbites.
• Kareem’s strategic non-participation: The sunglasses and suit create a character that allows Rahma to remain somewhat detached, letting the guest be the star while his reactions (agreement, disagreement, or bemusement) punctuate the entertainment.

How Brands Can Get In on the Magic of Street Interviews

If you’ve got a camera, a mic, and a dream, you’re almost there. Here are a couple of other things that might help you join the wave:

• Have a Gameplan: The responses to MOTS might be random, but your strategy definitely shouldn’t be. It’s important to engineer a plan including location, focus, questions, casting, and more. Building a comprehensive TikTok content strategy means understanding your audience, defining clear objectives, and creating content pillars that align with both your brand values and platform best practices.
• Location, Location, Location: If you’re looking for people, you can’t choose a quiet place; but you can’t pick the busiest street, either. You need to find a happy medium: a place where people want a distraction and are willing to take their time for you. Knowing your target audience prior to picking a location will also help you get exactly the video you’re looking for.
  • Pro Tip: Think about your audience; whether it be tourists, tech conference attendees, or college kids, finding a location that resonates with the focus of your video will benefit in the end. 
• Ask Better, Get Better: Brand storytelling is still king; you can’t expect to get great answers if you ask your interviewees basic yes or no questions. They need to be thought out, intricate, and something that would push people to think outside of the box. The goal for your video is for it to be entertaining, and that all depends on what these strangers are asked. 
• Energy Makes It Work: Make sure the energy is high. It keeps the momentum going and prevents your videos from being scrolled past. Whether you decide to go full Billy on the Street or strictly conversational, try to keep the pace going. Also, remember, interactions are strongest when the energy flows both ways.
  • Pro Tip: Not every stranger is a star interviewee, so try to seek out people who bring good vibes and aren’t afraid to be bold in their response.
• Hits Harder In Post: Post-production is where the story truly takes shape. After you’ve compiled your responses, make sure to put together the highlights, and don’t be afraid to add in the awkward moments, too. Those are what many viewers find the most relatable and shareable.
  • Pro Tip: Short-form videos hold viewers’ attention better, with a 60% halfway-watch rate compared to just 38% for longer content (so keep your edits tight and engaging).

Conclusion: The Streets Are Calling

This format has proven to work. Creators of pages like What’s Poppin? With Davis!, SubwayTakes, and Gaydar all have fascinating results on their page, and use some of these core content strategies. The creator economy has made it possible for brands to partner with these authentic voices, leveraging user-generated content to build trust and drive engagement at scale.

What started as a classic reporting technique has become a go-to content format brands can’t afford to ignore. In today’s digital world, it’s hard to find genuine human moments and offer something this generation undoubtedly lacks (and don’t I know it): authenticity and connection.

The sooner that brands and creators embrace this format, the faster they’ll build engagement, trust, and authentic connections with their audience. Making sure to ask questions that matter to the algorithm you’re catering to and the audience that you want to reach.

People on the street have always had something interesting to say; now, we’re finally giving them the spotlight. And it’s a two way street: the people feel heard, seen, and understood, and brands are recognizing that the best content doesn’t always have to be high-production, but can come from a spontaneous conversation with a random person on the street.

The post From Sidewalks to Screens: How “Man-on-the-Street” Interviews Amp Up Brand Content appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

From acting to singing, Selena Gomez is known for many things; now, she’s also added makeup to the list with Rare Beauty. 

Launched in 2020, her brand blew past expectations in terms of initial sales, despite the timing (ahem, the peak of the pandemic). How did this happen? Sure, the products are great, but what really made it take off is the brand’s authenticity, its focus on mental health and inclusivity, and how it leaned into user-generated content in such a smart way. What’s the big takeaway from Rare Beauty’s triumph?

Fame alone ≠ automatic success.

Audiences were skeptical about Selena’s entry into the cosmetic industry, and even still continued to doubt it after its 2020 launch. People were tired of the market flooding with musicians and influencers, and celebrity brands had become conducive with being inauthentic and lacking passion (especially given that Selena wasn’t known for any makeup expertise).

With all of the uncertainty and chaos brought on by COVID, Selena needed a marketing plan that stood out. It had to be something built on storytelling that really clicked with people online. And she did just that.

Rare Beauty Learns To Speak Gen Z

Just like every other beauty brand, Rare Beauty needed to figure out what their core values were and who they were targeting. Turns out, the values that the brand wanted to aspire to aligned perfectly with the values and morals of the typical Gen Zer.

Beyond Aesthetics: What Drives Gen Z Today

Before we dive into Rare Beauty’s mission and goals, let’s look at what’s important to Gen Z. Gen Z heavily advocates for diversity and inclusivity, considering the generation is more racially and ethnically diverse than previous generations.

From racial and cultural representation to gender inclusivity, Gen Z grew up with diversity. They were raised through social media, global movements, and activism, which made them, as a generation, vocal and bold. Unlike other generations, Gen Z speaks up about certain topics that others could find uncomfortable, like mental health, fairness, and social justice, and they take it a step further: they expect brands to be equally as fearless and inclusive.

And this is why Rare Beauty fascinated Gen Z. The brand was transparent, vocal, authentic, and diverse. Basically everything a Gen Z audience could wish for in a brand.

How Rare Beauty Does Diversity & Inclusion Right

Every brand can say that they’re diverse and inclusive, but similarly to greenwashing, diversity and inclusion have become part of the standard advertising noise; but Rare Beauty provided receipts. They created 48 different shades for their concealer and foundation, and they did it right, unlike some brands. The brand made sure that its products complemented every skin color.

Selena also incorporated easy-to-use, accessibility-conscious packaging, directly influenced by her experiences and struggles with lupus.

Rare Beauty also chooses authenticity over aesthetic when it comes to their social media. They make sure that their feeds feature models and influencers of all ethnicities, genders, and body types. They prioritize customer feedback through comments and DMs, and take action when needed. All of these activities keep them true to their core values (something that Gen Z takes kindly to).

On top of their products and social media, they make sure to put the message of diversity and inclusion in their campaigns. “Every Side Of You” celebrated inclusivity and authenticity, with a diverse cast, and a vulnerable script including lines like, “To the you that holds everybody up, and the you that needs to be held.”

When businesses and brands went quiet during the Black Lives Matter Movement or posted a singular (what felt like obligatory) post, Selena didn’t. As she does, she spoke up about an issue that most people stay away from for the sake of maintaining brand image. Rare Beauty posted multiple resources to support the movement and donated to The Bail Project and NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Efforts like these are what speak to Gen Z; and what make Rare Beauty’s target audience want to be involved with the brand.

The Power Of Gen Z & Social Media

When COVID-19 was taking over, so was TikTok. TikTok became a Gen Z phenomenon; from the way they got their information, to the way they expressed creativity, to the way they found new brands to support.

This made social media marketing an even heavier component for digital brand success; and Rare Beauty knew exactly how to use it.

Rare Beauty’s TikTok was diverse, but also well-balanced. They posted videos that clicked well with Gen Z, including GRWMs (Get Ready With Mes), product showcases, and influencer content with Selena at the forefront. It didn’t feel forced or “in your face”, but rather relatable and natural. 

Let’s talk about their biggest viral moment: the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. This trend showed one dot of the product turning into a flourishing blush that was seamless, natural, and radiant. The quality of the product was a hit, outperforming other highly known brand blush products like NARS, Kylie Cosmetics, and Rhode.

The product quickly gained TikTok virality, supported by a great deal of user-generated content, and was highly spoken about by many micro-influencers.

Rare Beauty’s lack of reliance on traditional macro-influencer marketing was yet another reason why Rare Beauty did so well and had high engagement rates. The brand didn’t rely on highly known influencers, but instead focused on partnering with smaller creators that had loyal audiences. The marketing made the brand more approachable and really drove home its focus on diversity.

How Mental Health Sets Selena Apart

At this point, we all know makeup brands have to be inclusive and authentic (one could say that that’s effectively the baseline). But what really matters now is how brands connect with people beyond spurting surface-level messages about inclusivity and authenticity. Selena focused on building a community. She brought people together through beauty and tied it to something deeper: mental health.

Selena Gomez is known for vocalizing the importance of mental health to younger audiences, opening up about her battle with depression and anxiety, all while battling lupus. She poured that expressiveness into her brand and really pushed the idea that it’s okay to talk about mental health.

It’s not a common pairing, but it makes sense. Makeup is all about feeling unique and accentuating your favorite features. Selena honed in on that, talking about her own personal experience with trying on her products, and the therapeutic feeling it gave her, without the pressure of filming.

When COVID hit, instead of holding off on their brand launch, they created Rare Chats to stay connected with their audience and community through Zoom calls. They realized that many of the younger consumers weren’t receiving the right mental health services, which was major news for the brand.

To further their messaging surrounding the importance of mental health, Selena and Rare Beauty created initiatives like the Rare Impact Fund, a non-profit organization that expands access to mental health services for people globally. One percent of Rare Beauty’s sales is also donated to the fund, helping their goal to raise $100M in 10 years.

This was how the brand connected with its community; and it read well with Gen Z.

Rare Beauty Comes Out On Top

The brand just “got it”. They knew and understood that Gen Z was their target audience. They knew how important social media, mental health, diversity, and authenticity are to Gen Z. With Selena Gomez at the head of the table and as the face of the brand, audiences fell in love with her vulnerability and transparency, which lured in consumer trust with Rare Beauty triumphing in the end.

The post Selena Gomez’s Makeup Line: Marketing as Rare as Its Founder appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

Known for its modern and casual apparel, Gap has been selling its products since 1969. Their popularity began when fashion culture started shifting towards casual wear in the 80s and 90s. Under CEO Mickey Drexler, Gap marketed itself as a casual, cool company focusing on accessible and comfortable wear sold at affordable prices. In just five years, they accumulated $15 million in annual sales and over 25 stores, becoming a cultural phenomenon.

Around the late 90s and early 2000s, Gap’s sales started to decline. They were fighting irrelevancy. They tried their best to stay top of mind for consumers, but times were changing, and their styles weren’t catching up to what their audience wanted.

Their production was slower than cheaper and faster brands like Zara and H&M, and the business was severely underperforming in comparison to their competitors, American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch. At the same time, malls were losing popularity due to the rise of online shopping, so Gap was experiencing a decline in foot traffic as well. Overall, the company was failing because they couldn’t adapt to change.

Gap’s Comeback Playbook

Gap’s comeback wasn’t easy; it was a multi-year effort with the goal of bringing back their brand relevance. With multiple failed attempts over the mid 2010s, it wasn’t until late 2023 that Gap finally regained its popularity.

How did they do it? They changed their entire marketing strategy: from their hires, to their website, socials, campaigns, and most importantly, their celebrity partnerships.

Injecting New Faces & Ideas

The rise in sales began with the appointment of Richard Dickson as the new CEO in 2023. Dickson was originally Gap Inc.’s Board Director in 2022, as he was working at Mattel as the President and COO. He led design and development, brand marketing, innovation strategy, and more during his time at Mattel, and was credited for the revival of Barbie.

During the first few months in his new position, Dickson focused on Gap’s purpose, product innovation, cultural relevance, and execution. One of his most impactful moves included hiring Zac Posen, who essentially changed the game for Gap.

Zac Posen is an award-winning creator who is known for his excellent technique and inclusive designs. He’s worked with many well-known brands, including Target, David’s Bridal, and Project Runway. In February 2024, he was named EVP & Creative Director of Gap Inc. and was to focus on leading design, merchandising, and marketing. Posen made a huge impact in his broader efforts to reignite the new culture of creativity.

In April 2025, he released an elevated collection (a break from Gap’s modern but basic style), that included over 50 pieces. Later in May, he designed an all-denim Met Gala gown for actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph, inspired by Gap’s heritage denim, which sparked even more public interest in GapStudio.

Gap also partnered with Omnicom Media Group in 2024, aiming to help achieve the brand’s vision to become a high-performing, iconic American brand. The group provides different strategies, talent, and partners, using their expertise in the speed of culture to help Gap stay up-to-date and sustain their relevance, which was one of the biggest reasons for their downfall in the 2000s. This partnership also allowed Gap to leverage OMG’s experience with major consumer brands like Apple, Disney, and L’Oreal.

Redesigning Their Websites & Socials

To keep up with the rise of social media, Gap incorporated its updated look into the brands they acquired. The (somewhat boring) early 2000s and 2010s Gap was no more; rather, they elevated their products using a heritage-led strategy that was to serve nostalgia, combined with updated marketing and exciting collaborations. Essentially, they developed a modern social presence that doesn’t take away from their nostalgic value.

On their website, they focused on better photography, capturing eye-catching angles with cleaner formatting. Even when keeping aesthetics in mind, their website retained Gap’s brand essence, using simple fonts and a consistent color scheme. They also added video lookbooks of their products on the website, making it easier for consumers to see all angles.

As Gen Z and Millennials became the setters and adopters of fashion trends, 90s nostalgic looks were coming back (hello Y2K), and Gap took that opportunity to come in, guns blazing.

They became more active with their social media marketing, featuring user-generated content and interactive posts, boosting engagement and brand visibility. They also started working with influencers, using the rise of TikTok and influencer culture to start the buzz around their products. In addition to traditional influencer marketing, Gap interacted and collaborated with regular social media users.

One of their greatest successes with this marketing strategy is their partnership with TikTok creator and social media influencer Julia Huynh, known for her lifestyle and travel content. She co-designed a hoodie with Gap after she expressed frustration with clothes shopping in a video about finding “the perfect hoodie that hoodies.” Gap jumped on the opportunity to work with her and invited her to co-create a hoodie with their design team in New York. Understanding the cultural shift of influencer marketing, Gap made sure to stay on top of this through this collaboration.

Learning From Their Mistakes

Here’s the kicker with all of these changes: this wasn’t Gap’s first time trying to rebrand itself. They had made another attempt to come back from the dead in 2010, which sparked public backlash, mainly due to their redesigned logo (that’s right, Cracker Barrel didn’t do it first). This disastrous move negatively impacted their brand perception and value, causing consumers to protest; the announcement actually generated 2,000 negative comments in just 24 hours.

What’s the lesson to learn here? The importance of branding and brand equity, especially when it comes to listening to (and understanding) your customers’ likes and dislikes. Gap’s brand is all about nostalgia, and by “modernizing” their logo, they went directly against their own essence. Customer loyalty and trust? Gone. When your audience has a deep, emotional connection to your aesthetic and identity, and you strip that identity away, you’re turning your customers away, too.

Launching New Marketing Campaigns & Initiatives

What people resonate with and gravitate to when it comes to marketing is a message with meaning behind it. Gap was able to encompass that by spinning up campaigns focused on things they knew their audience cared about: sustainability, inclusivity, and individuality.

A Push for Sustainability

Sustainability has been part of the purchasing conversation for the better part of a decade, and it’s increasingly becoming a top-of-mind concern for consumers. Purchasing sustainable goods is seen as a form of activism: influencing corporate behavior for the betterment of the planet.

By using sustainable cotton and Washwell techniques, Gap pushes its initiative for a sustainable and equitable future in “Gap for Good.” They partnered with organizations like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, whose mission is to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

The Result: When consumers see the impact that a company is making for the greater good, they’re influenced to buy their products, which exponentially spreads word-of-mouth and organic media buzz.

The Inclusivity Angle

For Gen Z and Millennial audiences, brand loyalty often stems from a sense of safety and inclusion, which is why inclusivity is such an important aspect to brands looking to succeed in today’s markets. Inclusive marketing makes customers feel valued and boosts their self-esteem, and that’s exactly what Gap’s “Meet Me In the Gap” campaign was centered around.

This multi-media campaign focused on unity, inclusion, and diversity, which was displayed through the pairing of unlikely features such as Cher and Future, demonstrating different individuals connecting and finding things in common. Each collaboration was intentionally unscripted to see what could be the result of the unexpected.

The Impact: When consumers see a brand turn diversity into a priority, they’re more drawn to the company’s values, broadening the audience that feels they can be a part of the culture.

Long Live Individuality

Everyone has a different sense of style. Clothing is a way of expression and individuality, which is exactly what Gap honed in on.

Gap’s 2017 campaign “Bridging the Gap” featured a diverse cast, including celebrities, artists, and models like Priyanka Chopra and Wiz Khalifa. In this social media-focused campaign, participants were shown customizing white Gap T-shirts in ways that represented their authentic selves. The purpose of the campaign was to showcase the simplicity of a plain white T-shirt, embodied differently by unique individuals. They were sure to cast people in a variety of different shapes and sizes to celebrate diversity, but bringing them together by using the same color shirt to celebrate unity.

So why were these all successful? These campaigns and initiatives spoke to consumers in a way that was relatable, aligning themselves not just with their own values, but the values that Gap’s customers hold. Sustainability, inclusivity, and individuality are all elements that are important in this new wave of culture within marketing, and brands that are able to successfully market themselves through these values reach a wider range of audiences.

Celebrity Branding: How the Face Can Make or Break Your Campaign

Celebrity brand partnerships aren’t revolutionary as a concept; brands have been using these types of promotions as marketing tactics since the 19th century. The drive behind celebrity partnerships is to leverage credibility to consumers: when we see a well-known face in an ad, we automatically gravitate towards it, often without first recognizing that it’s branded at all. Celebrity faces help customers remember the product, keeping the brand at the forefront of their mind (even if it’s subconscious), increasing sales and brand awareness.

Gap’s celebrity advertisements stick to a specific formula, displaying their cast in visually appealing and color-coded clothing, singing or dancing, in a simple and clean set design. Some of their notable advertisements include Tyla x Jungle, Troye Sivan, and (the latest one to make a huge splash online) KATSEYE. There’s a few reasons these advertisements resonated with the audience so well: timing, concept, and cast choice.

Tyla x Jungle x Gap

In 2024, there was a lot of public noise around Tyla; after all, she was fresh off of a Grammy win. Gap was quick to action, partnering with Tyla in combination with British group Jungle, creating an ad showing them perform intricate choreography. This was more art piece than ad, while at the same time displaying Gap’s linen products’ flexibility, comfort, and quality.

Combining authentic collaboration, current trends, and visual satisfaction, this campaign was highly successful.

Troye Sivan x Gap

In order to connect with their Gen Z target audience, Gap collaborated with a popular singer (and former YouTuber), Troye Sivan. Sivan was the perfect celebrity partnership selection based on his shared values with Gap; things like self-expression, individuality, and creativity. And so became their “Get Loose” campaign, released as an expressive dance advertisement that brought feelings of nostalgia.

This advertisement made more than waves; it nearly tripled Gap’s video views record on Instagram and became Gap’s most-liked video on both Instagram and TikTok.

KATSEYE x Gap

Okay, I know you’re dying to talk about Gap’s most recent and most popular collaboration: KATSEYE. KATSEYE is a musical girl group that broke the standards set by traditional K-Pop collectives. Since their formation, they have become a global sensation, finding success through their catchy music, Netflix documentary, and high-profile backing of HYBE and Geffen.

They might be known for their Y2K-influenced fashion, but they are adored for their authentic and diverse personalities; the members come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and wear their cultures proudly. For Gap, collaborating with KATSEYE was an incredibly smart marketing strategy as due to the clear value alignment between the two brands.

A particular part of the success of the KATSEYE collaboration was also due to timing. Gap’s campaign with the girl group was released during a period of corporate uproar over Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign that was taglined “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans.”

The public took issue with not only the tagline, but the script of the video ad and the campaign’s underlying message, which echoed as eugenics rhetoric based on Sweeney’s blonde hair and blue eyes. People felt as though the ad was promoting harmful ideologies and supporting the “traditional” feminine ideal.

American Eagle did not issue an apology for the campaign; rather, their official statement reinforced that the campaign was about jeans, with no underlying messages.

The American Eagle and Gap ads are a strong case study for one thing: the face of the advertisement is just as important as the ad’s message. In their campaign with KATSEYE, Gap was able to emphasize the value of their brand by promoting individuality, cultural diversity, and inclusivity, while continuing to produce creative and aesthetically pleasing ads. American Eagle, however, had a similar concept with an opposite effect; and customers responded accordingly.

The Outcomes of Reinventing Your Brand

Gap has proven that reinventing your brand can have a positive outcome, so long as you understand your customers, create a timely marketing strategy, and maintain cultural relevance while spreading your brand’s mission and values. Their comeback was a prolonged process and wasn’t easy to do.

Through new hires, updated web and social media pages, creative campaigns, and diverse celebrity ads, Gap found a way to the people’s hearts, wants, and needs. They were able to increase their influencer mentions by 73% in 2023 and 2024, also achieving a sales increase of 1% during fiscal year 2023. Gap also beat Wall Street’s earnings expectations in 2025.

If all goes to plan, Gap will continue to maintain (or even increase) its sales through these marketing strategies; ones that many other companies could learn from now and in the future.

The post The Gap Marketing: A Deep Dive Into Their Revival appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.