August 18, 2004

Curious George: Stream of a GAP Ad? Does anyone know where I can find streaming video of the latest American TV spots from the GAP?

A friend just told me about a GAP TV spot where a young college student becomes uncontollably excited at her first day of history class. ("I LOVE history! It is so sequential!") I am a history professor and would love to use this spot on the first day of class next week. I thought my google-fu was strong, but no luck. Anyone?

posted by LarryC 20 years ago
  • I can't tell you where to find it online, but I think it's actually an Old Navy ad. (Yes, Gap owns Old Navy, but your google-fu might be able to work its magic with the right search terms.)
  • That's not a GAP ad, it is an Old Navy ad. I would consider it inappropriate for use in any course that is not using it to demonstrate advertising theory, even in a tongue and check manner. There would probably be a small but probably very vocal group of your students who would communicate this to you as well. OLD Navy's ad campaigns are intentionally inane and confusing because it has been demonstrated that confused consumers become more impulsive. It is an ad campaign that cheapens communication to hock overpriced goods. Pardon the melodrama but if there is a clearer antithesis of education, I can‘t think of it.
  • I hear they show streaming Gap ads here. /couldn't resist, sorry
  • If you really still want it Larry, you can find it here. I can't link directly to it so you will have to search on "Old Navy" (no quotes), it is the first one that comes up on the search. In order to access it you have to become a member for a nominal fee (which is ridiculous). I really hope that you don't use it in your class.
  • Thanks, Testy, I haven't paid to view the commercial yet--seems wrong--but I probably will. My thought was to use the ad on the first day. I teach large sections of intorductory history to college freshman who do not want to be there, largely because in high school they had a history teacher named Coach who made them memorize names and dates, and they think that is what history is. On the first day I like to riff on the topic of "How many of you don't want to be here?" Then I tell them some wild but true historical story (either the assasination attempt on Andrew Jackson, when he pounded the would-be assassin's head into the pavement, or LBJ peeing on his secret servicemen's shoes...) My goal is to show that history is not what they think it is. I thought this commercial might be a good ice breaker to open that discussion.
  • My commentary on another commercial in that Old Navy campaign is (with screen picture of pre-adolescent jeans snake) here.
  • Wow, Testy Cod, way to be a joykill.
  • Well, he is testy.
  • You hold him down, Wendell and I will inject him with denim molecules. Soon he will be doing outdated dance moves with some totally unidentified other live-action kids! *pays wendellwit license fee*