Gap vs. American Eagle: Which Viral Denim Ad Won 2025?

In 2025, two denim giants, Gap and American Eagle, set the internet buzzing with bold new ads that could not be more different. Gap’s “Better in Denim,” featuring global girl group KATSEYE, leaned into nostalgia, dance, and inclusivity. American Eagle’s “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” went viral for the wrong reasons at first, then racked up massive reach and sales momentum. Both campaigns show how brands use celebrity partnerships, cultural cues, and social platforms to capture attention, yet the outcomes reveal clear differences in brand equity, consumer sentiment, and business results. This deep dive explains how each ad starts, what it features, the controversies, the marketing tactics in play, and which brand pulled ahead, backed by real stats and lessons every marketing professional can use.

At a glance: key numbers

Gap x KATSEYE

• 20 million views in 3 days, later 400 million total views and 8 billion impressions, and the No. 1 TikTok search during launch week
• 1.7 million dollars EMV with record engagement
• Foot traffic up 2.8 percent in August and up 8.5 percent in the first full week after launch
• The limited KATSEYE hoodie sold out quickly

American Eagle x Sydney Sweeney

• 700,000+ new customers and 40 billion impressions credited to the Sweeney and Travis Kelce programs
• CMO later cited 790,000 new customers and about 320,000 new followers in six weeks
• The jacket sold out in one day, jeans in one week; a restock is planned
• Foot traffic down 1.3 percent in August at AE stores.
• Stock up roughly 33 percent on September 4 as results and updates hit wires

Why these two denim ads are being compared right now

Gap and American Eagle are not just competing for denim sales; they are competing for cultural relevance. Both launched splashy campaigns within weeks of each other in mid-2025, but with very different tactics. Gap tapped into nostalgia, music, and inclusive dance culture with its KATSEYE film, reviving a heritage ad style that feels authentically Gap. American Eagle rolled out a provocative celebrity-first concept with Sydney Sweeney, betting that a headline-grabbing idea would command attention and recruit new shoppers. For marketers, this is a textbook contrast in brand fit versus shock value, inclusive celebration versus provocation, and steady cultural alignment versus high-risk narrative management. The differences show up across impressions and engagement, but also in foot traffic, customer acquisition, and investor confidence.

Ad 1: Gap “Better in Denim” featuring KATSEYE

What the ad shows on screen

Gap’s 90-second film opens with all six members of KATSEYE performing to a remix of Kelis’ “Milkshake.” As choreography builds, more dancers join and form circular patterns that highlight movement and denim. The set was custom-built in Los Angeles, with Bethany Vargas directing, Robbie Blue choreographing, and Bjorn Iooss shooting stills. Wardrobe leans into a Y2K revival with low-rise jeans, pleated mini skirts, and a refreshed “Long & Lean” fit. The rollout included a Times Square billboard, a limited KATSEYE logo hoodie pre-order, and global distribution across digital, social, in-store, and influencer channels.

The marketing strategy at work

• Heritage codes have been refreshed: Gap revived its long history of dance-driven ads and paired them with Y2K nostalgia to create a campaign that feels both recognizable and current.
• Creator flywheel: Gap says it worked with 400 creators to extend storytelling around denim hits like the Horseshoe Jean and NAP hoodie, a social-first approach CEO Richard Dickson outlined on the earnings call (Gap earnings remarks).
• Cross-channel orchestration: Distribution spanned owned social, stores, OOH, and YouTube, a PESO-style playbook that amplifies paid and owned with earned conversation and creator posts (Business of Fashion).

For background, see Brand Vision’s guides on digital PR for earned attention and brand awareness through SEO.

How it performed

• The film garnered 20 million views in just 72 hours, subsequently garnered 400 million total views and 8 billion impressions, and held the top spot in TikTok search during the launch week. The CEO also said the film outperformed the full runs of the prior four releases within three days (Gap earnings remarks, Business Insider).
• Record engagement and EMV: 1.7 million dollars in EMV and top engagement since launch (Business of Fashion).
• Store traffic lift: +2.8 percent year over year in August and +8.5 percent the first full week after launch, based on Pass-by data shared with Retail Brew (Retail Brew).
• Merch heat: The limited KATSEYE x Gap logo hoodie sold out quickly (Yahoo Entertainment).

Public reaction and any controversy

Coverage framed the ad as on-brand and widely praised for inclusivity and craft, often contrasted with the American Eagle debate (Business of Fashion).

Weak spots to note

Impressions and EMV are top-funnel; they show attention, not conversion. Broader corporate headwinds, such as tariff pressure, still shaped investor reads for the quarter, which limited any stock reaction to cultural buzz.

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Ad 2: American Eagle “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans”

What the ad shows on screen

The campaign rolled out as a series of short videos built around Sydney Sweeney. The most criticized spot features Sweeney reclining as the camera pans over her body, followed by the line, "my jeans are blue." Another clip zooms toward her chest before she says, “Eyes up here,” which the brand framed as cheeky but which quickly sparked debate. Several of the most criticized videos were reported as removed from AE’s feeds by PRWeek, while the CMO told Marketing Brew that no assets were removed entirely (PRWeek, Marketing Brew). Beyond social, AE invested in the Las Vegas Sphere exosphere, a Snapchat AR lens, and AI try-on, plus limited items like The Sydney Jean and a curated denim jacket. One hundred percent of the purchase price of The Sydney Jean goes to Crisis Text Line (AE investor release).

The marketing strategy at work

• Provocation for attention: The “genes, jeans” pun was designed to be sticky, but in a polarized climate it was quickly reinterpreted by commentators as a “good genes” narrative, which escalated controversy.
• Celebrity stacking: AE paired Sweeney’s splashy rollout with Travis Kelce, keeping the brand in culture for weeks and broadening reach across fashion and sports.
• OOH plus social mechanics: Sphere, 3D billboards, AR, and AI try-on made the campaign unavoidable and meme-ready, supporting a drop-style product strategy (AE investor release).

How it performed

• Customer acquisition and reach: More than 700,000 new customers and 40 billion impressions across the Sweeney and Kelce programs.
• Alternate internal count: The CMO later cited 790,000 new customer acquisitions and about 320,000 new followers in six weeks (Marketing Brew).
• Product sell-outs: The Sydney Jacket sold out in a day, and the Sydney Jean sold out in a week, with restocks planned (Retail Brew, People).
• Investor reaction: Shares jumped about 33 percent on September 4 as results and updates hit the wires.
• Foot traffic vs. hype: Pass-by measured a 1.3 percent decline in August foot traffic at AE stores despite the buzz (Retail Brew).

Public reaction and controversy

The most viewed clip drew criticism for white, blonde, blue-eyed “good genes” connotations, covered by national and fashion media. As discourse spread, sentiment flipped to 63.7 percent favorable across TikTok and X in the first nine days, according to PeakMetrics data provided to Retail Brew (Retail Brew).

Weak spots to note

The strategy ceded narrative control and required continuous communications response. While online metrics and sell-outs were strong, store traffic softened at first, a reminder that national media attention does not always translate into local footfall.

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Head-to-head: which strategy was better?

Brand fit and creative clarity

Gap’s film is a case study in brand codes. Music, movement, and denim are instant Gap shorthands, which makes the work feel like a natural extension of the brand and strengthens long-term equity (Business of Fashion). American Eagle’s idea was memorable, but it stepped into a cultural minefield that put brand codes at risk.

Lesson: Creativity that matches brand codes builds trust and recall. Provocation can deliver buzz, but if it strays from your DNA, it can erode credibility.

Reach and customer acquisition

American Eagle wins on customer growth with 40 billion impressions and 700k to 790k new customers in weeks (Marketing Brew). Gap posted 8 billion impressions and 400 million views but did not disclose new-to-file customers for the campaign (Business Insider).

Lesson: Awareness is not acquisition. Define KPIs before launch. Are you chasing reach or customers?

Real-world traffic

Gap’s store visits were up 2.8 percent in August and up 8.5 percent in the first full week post-launch. AE’s were down 1.3 percent in August (Retail Brew).

Lesson: Offline conversion still matters. Retail campaigns need to move bodies, not just feet.

Merch sell-outs and hype

Both programs delivered quick sell-outs, showing the power of scarcity. Gap’s KATSEYE hoodie sold out quickly (Yahoo Entertainment). AE’s jacket sold out in a day and the jeans in a week (Retail Brew, People).

Lesson: Limited merchandise tied to campaign momentum can be both a conversion driver and a heat gauge. Sell-outs become part of the story.

Reputation management

Gap’s ad drew praise as engaging, inclusive, and on-brand. AE’s sparked backlash over “good genes,” then rebounded to 63.7 percent favorable in early social listening as the story polarized and spread (Retail Brew).

Lesson: Controversy can supercharge reach, but it raises risk and demands tight narrative management.

Bottom line for marketers

• If your goal is fast customer acquisition and high-impact buzz, American Eagle’s approach delivered, with 700k+ new customers and rapid sell-outs.
• If your goal is brand equity, cultural alignment, and healthy store behavior, Gap’s campaign looks stronger.

For marketing professionals, the winner depends on the KPIs you set before launch. Gap shows the power of heritage and clarity. American Eagle shows how provocation and celebrity can recruit customers, with higher narrative risk.

What marketing professionals can learn

Start with brand codes

Campaigns work best when they build on existing memory structures. Gap modernized music-driven heritage and used dance and denim as instant brand shorthand.

Lesson: Align to brand codes to build trust and recall.

Design for participation, not just views

Gap gave people choreography to copy, then fueled it with 400 creators across TikTok and Instagram, turning content into a cultural moment (Gap earnings remarks).

Lesson: Package behaviors people can share, then power the flywheel with creators.

Match channels to the creative

The AE’s Sphere takeover, AR lens, and AI try-on features are designed to align with a celebrity tentpole event. Gap’s TikTok-first dance and Times Square amplification fit a culture play.

Lesson: Put the idea where it naturally thrives.

Measure the whole funnel

• Attention: Gap hit 400M views and 8B impressions, with $1.7M EMV (Business of Fashion).
• Engagement: Both drove conversation; AE’s controversy extended debate.
• Behavior: Gap’s +2.8 percent August traffic and +8.5 percent post-launch week show offline lift, while AE’s sell-outs prove product pull even as store visits dipped (Retail Brew).
• Acquisition: AE converted attention into 700k to 790k new customers (Marketing Brew).

Lesson: Look past top-funnel metrics. The proof of value lies in acquisition and store behavior.

Prepare for narrative risk

Gap stayed in positive territory. AE triggered backlash, yet sentiment flipped to 63.7 percent favorable in nine days as the debate spread (Retail Brew).

Lesson: If a concept can be reframed, assume it will be. Build escalation plans, message maps, and monitoring.

FAQ

Did Gap’s KATSEYE merch sell out?‍

Yes. The limited KATSEYE x Gap logo hoodie sold out quickly after launch (Yahoo Entertainment).

Did American Eagle remove the controversial videos?‍

PRWeek reported that some videos were pulled, while AE’s CMO later told Marketing Brew that no assets were removed entirely (PRWeek, Marketing Brew).

Did AE’s campaign raise money for a cause?‍

Yes. One hundred percent of the purchase price of The Sydney Jean goes to Crisis Text Line (AE Investor Release).

Which ad drove more store traffic in the first month?‍

Gap. Pass-by data via Retail Brew shows Gap up in August and the week after launch, while AE was down in August (Retail Brew).