was that Gap’s campaign with Katseye was the moment of the summer.  “Summer 2025 was the summer of denim and celebrity. Three of the season’s most viewed and impactful ads were just that: denim and celebrity-fronted; Gap x Katseye, American Eagle x Sydney Sweeney and the [3rd installment] of Levi’s x Beyoncé,” Christine Russo, the principal of Retail Creative and Consulting Agency (RCCA) and the host of the retail podcast “What Just Happened, told Inside Retail.  “Compared to the others, the Gap x Katseye campaign is my pick for the most impactful, partially because of perfect cultural timing (luckily timed after the American Eagle Outfitters ad dropped) and an authentic blend of Gap’s Y2K nostalgia with inclusive Gen Z appeal.” By effectively tapping into the celebrity power of an internationally recognized girls group, leaning into nostalgic storytelling and placing an emphasis on inclusivity, Gap’s campaign stood out from the multitude of denim campaigns that took place this summer.  Factors behind Gap x Katseye campaign’s success CI&T’s global director of retail strategy, Melissa Minkow, commented that “it’s very rare for a viral campaign to be adored by all,” but she noted that Gap’s Katseye campaign received rave reviews across the board. “The reasons being that the song choice was a classic, catchy, nostalgic hit, the dancing was captivating throughout the whole commercial, while it still allowed the actual denim to be showcased in versatile ways,” Minkow said. Minkow explained that the campaign was creative without pushing boundaries into esoteric territory, and included elements that resonated with multiple generational groups, including Gen Alpha, Gen Z, millennials and Gen X.  Minkow also pointed out that Katseye is an up-and-coming group that younger consumers are excited about, showing the importance of picking a celebrity who not only has worldwide recognition but also culturally resonates with the brand.  “The marketing, retailers and brands in the apparel and beauty industries have been grappling with the value of celebrity in ads. Much has been discussed about moving away from celebrity-fronted campaigns citing Gen-Z aversion, inauthenticity, being too salesy and not trustworthy,” Russo said. “However, the standout campaigns of the season may have changed that, which serves as a valuable lesson for brands and retailers.” Brand strategist and marketing consultant Bethany Paris Ramsay echoed Minkow and Russo’s points, commenting that the Gap x Katseye campaign was arguably “one of the strongest retail marketing plays we’ve seen in years”. “What made it so effective was its ability to feel both nostalgic and fresh; an alchemy that’s incredibly hard to achieve in today’s trend-fatigued market,” Ramsay remarked.  “Gap’s campaign tapped into its heritage while giving it new relevance, positioning the brand as culturally plugged-in rather than chasing a moment. Katseye’s casting brought in an unexpected, cross-generational cool factor, resonating with both longtime Gap loyalists and a younger audience craving authenticity and originality. Rather than leaning on gimmicks or rage-bait tactics, the work felt confident, self-assured, and deeply aligned with Gap’s DNA.” This is in sharp contrast to American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney ‘great jeans’ campaign, Ramsay noted, which felt forced and missed the cultural mark, “showing how fragile a brand’s credibility can be when inclusivity and authenticity aren’t baked in.”  At the end of the day, the Gap x Katseye campaign wasn’t just about selling a product, explained Ramsay, it was about reasserting brand identity in a way that’s aspirational but still accessible. This is exactly what retail marketing should be striving for right now, the marketing executive emphasized.   How the Gap x Katseye campaign performed post-release The numbers don’t lie, as Russo pointed out with the post-campaign metrics.  While both American Eagle’s and Gap’s campaigns went viral, the staying power, or lack thereof, was evident just a few weeks post-release.  Gap’s Katseye campaign garnered 8 billion impressions across multiple social media platforms, Gap Inc CEO Richard Dixon stated. In addition, Gap extended content and engagement beyond the ad itself with behind-the-scenes content.  Additionally, the brand drove a large volume of user-generated content, with fans recreating Katseye’s dance moves or making light-hearted parody videos.  “Comparatively, the American Eagle Outfitters campaign dropped to much fanfare, both positive and negative, yet did not have a lasting social impact,” Russo pointed out. “The Sweeney ad’s week-one conversation and coverage were broader and more intense than that for Katseye, with elevated traditional, digital and social media engagement and clear surges at several points throughout the opening week. However, measuring footfall data the first week following the ad drops, Gap stores saw 8.5 per cent year-over-year (YOY) foot traffic increase and AEO saw a negative 3.9 per cent foot traffic decrease YOY,” Russo reflected.  Additional standout retail campaigns of summer 2025  While Gap emerged as the clear winner of the unofficial marketing battle of the summer, it wasn’t the only strong contender.   Minkow pointed to Chamberlain Coffee’s collaborative campaign with Pinterest as another brilliant marketing move this summer.  Minkow noted it was the first time either brand had partnered with another brand, so the campaign already stood out and it further benefited from celebrity-brand synergy.  “Emma Chamberlain is someone who is known for her unique, trendsetting taste, which perfectly aligns with why and how consumers leverage Pinterest,” said Minkow.  “Furthermore,” she added, “the fact that the other brand was Pinterest meant that the campaign could be highly visually appealing and cohesive. The flavor matched the aesthetic they chose, which was also a trending aesthetic from Pinterest’s predictions. So it all just meshed together flawlessly and made a ‘splash’ by being the first of its kind for both brands.” Meanwhile, Global Data managing director Neil Saunders pointed to Nike’s recent “Why Do It?” campaign as another standout marketing moment of the summer.  “The campaign is iconic, not least because of the spin on Nike’s universally known ‘Just Do It’ slogan. But in how it also speaks to the younger generation’s fears and aspirations, which shows Nike is hoping to make more of a cultural connection with them,” Saunders told Inside Retail. “Arguably, Nike had gone off the boil with good storytelling, and this is an effort to get it back on track. It’s only one step of many that needs to be taken, but it shows that Nike is serious about reinventing itself and is looking for ways to cut through.”