When an Ad Becomes the Feed: Gap’s Katseye Campaign vs. AE’s Missed Moment

You know a campaign is good when you catch yourself rewatching it on TikTok, then seeing it loop on the storefront screen and stopping mid-stride just to watch it again. That’s exactly what Gap pulled off with their Better in Denim campaign featuring Katseye. It’s not just an ad: it’s a full-blown cultural reset.

The energy is undeniable: denim choreo, Y2K styling that feels playful instead of try-hard, and Katseye absolutely eating the camera alive. But the secret sauce? The soundtrack. Gap didn’t just slap Kelis’ Milkshake on the tracklist, they commissioned a re-recording. Why does that matter? Because Kelis doesn’t own the masters to her original version. By re-recording the song for this campaign, Gap actually gave the artist herself a chance to benefit from its resurgence. That’s not just music licensing, that’s brand storytelling layered with integrity. It says: we’re not just borrowing nostalgia, we’re making it right.

That one decision elevated the whole campaign. Suddenly, Milkshake isn’t just a cheeky throwback hook, it’s a headline, a conversation starter, a TikTok caption. Fans aren’t just dancing to it, they’re talking about it, because Gap built something that was meant to be participated in, not just passively consumed.

Now, let’s talk about the contrast. American Eagle tapped Sydney Sweeney earlier this summer for what should have been a slam dunk. She’s America’s darling, she’s everywhere, and she’s a perfect denim muse on paper. But the execution? Flat. It leaned too hard on wordplay and her star power without delivering a campaign moment people could actually do something with. It didn’t spark trends. It didn’t have rewatch value. It was an ad, and that’s where it stopped.

This is the marketing lesson here: celebrity gets attention, but culture creates momentum. Gap didn’t just pick a star, they picked a group with a rising fandom and paired it with choreography, nostalgia, and music that had built-in cultural currency. And then they went one step further by making sure the story behind the music aligned with values today’s audiences actually care about.

The difference is night and day. Gap’s Katseye moment is joyful, inclusive, and sticky. It lingers. It trends. It’s the kind of campaign that has dance studios teaching the routine, TikTokers duetting it, and casual shoppers literally stopping in front of stores to watch. American Eagle’s Sweeney spot? It had the headlines, but headlines don’t convert into long-term cultural equity.

Here’s the takeaway: if you want your brand to matter in 2025, don’t just think about views. Think about rewatch value. Think about what makes people hit replay, recreate it, and share it with their friends. That’s the difference between a campaign that passes through the feed and a campaign that becomes the feed.

Gap proved it. Katseye proved it. And yes, Kelis proved it too, sometimes a Milkshake really can bring everyone to the yard. 🥤👖✨