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Better in Denim is the fall 2025advertising campaign byGap. Directed by Gap's creative head Calvin George Leung and choreographed by Robbie Blue, it features the girl groupKatseye dancing to "Milkshake" byKelis while wearing denim clothing from Gap's fall collection.[1][2]
The ad campaign was seen as culturally refreshing, a callback to older Gap commercials, and a potential response to the advertisements of other clothing retailers.[3]
For several decades, Gap produced ad campaigns involving dance and music.[4] In 2025, the clothing retailer sought to pursue advertising strategies that played into consumer nostalgia for such past; specifically, they rereleased "vintage Gap pieces to its site" for "the Gen Z consumer that is eating up Y2K fashion" and replicated "the feeling of old campaigns" through collaborations withTroye Sivan,Tyla, and others.[5]
For fall 2025, Gap tapped Katseye for an ad campaign centered around younger people and their trends. Months beforehand, dancer and choreographer Robbie Blue had been brought on to Gap months in advance for a "dance-heavy" concept, specifically "to hire dancers from all different backgrounds and bring them together for one big masterpiece."[6] Directed by Bethany Vargas and shot by Bjorn Looss, the Better in Denim ad campaign showed Katseye members dancing to Blue's choreography while wearing various pieces from Gap's denim collection, including mini skirts and zip-up vests.[1][7] In particular, Gap wanted to highlight low-rise jeans in order to target recent Gen Z interest in the style.[5]
Regarding the campaign, Mark Breitbard, Gap's Brand CEO, stated: "We love getting talent that feels like it's emerging. It's a cultural point of view and energy that's a fit for this campaign, and we're excited for that."[5] Afterward, Gap's brand experience team, in collaboration with artist and set designer Wesley Goodrich, built "an exact replica of the white box set" inside their company headquarters on the Embarcadero inSan Francisco.[2] Gap and Katseye also released a hoodie which featured the girl group's name on the Gap logo.[8]
According to Gap CEO Richard Dickson at the company's third-quarter earnings call, Better in Denim led to "double-digit growth in denim," as well as significant traffic by way of "more than 8 billion impressions and 500 million views."[9] In particular, it amassed more views in its first three days of release than all four previous ad campaigns combined.[10] Dickson called it "one of the brand's most successful campaigns to date" and identified it as particularly resonate withGen Z consumers.[9]
Better in Denim was seen as a cultural touchpoint for Gen Z, as well as a prime example of how companies could connect with consumers in the modern age.CNN said that "The diversity, dancing and fashion has helped the ad go viral at a time when there's been debate about how companies are relating to their customer base."[3]Harper's Bazaar wrote that the ad campaign "champions individuality and the ways in which we express ourselves through clothing. And what better representatives than a diverse, global girl band?"[1]The San Francisco Standard called it a "meticulously souped-up way-back machine" that combines Katseye's "rabid Gen Z fanbase," an old radio hit that "has found a second life as a TikTok soundtrack," and aY2K aesthetic.[2]
Additionally, the ad campaign was released weeks afterSydney Sweeney'sAmerican Eagle commercial sparked controversy for its problematic messaging, leading to many comparisons from the general public, as well as questions of whether Gap's inclusive ad was made in reaction.[11][10][12] In particular, the Kelis lyric "better than yours" was taken by some as a tongue-in-cheek "subtle dig."[13][14]International Business Times stated that "GAP leapt into the cultural spotlight with unity and style, while American Eagle grapples with controversy and uncertain footfall and sales impact."[14] However, both Gap and Invisible Dynamics, the marketing agency responsible for Better in Denim, stated that the ad campaign was not a response, as it was shot in early July, before the American Eagle commercial.[4]