* Kameron Burgess
* `GAP for Gay Rights
* Gap Inc. is a retailer that sells clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, children and infants. This global enterprise houses about 136,000 employees and about 1,300 company-operated stores and over 300 franchise stores. Gap Inc. embodies many brands (including Gap, GapKids, babyGap, GapMaternity and GapBody), Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta and INTERMIX. Also, it has chains of outlet stores as well: Gap Outlet, Gap Generation and Banana Republic Factory Stores. Recently, the company decided to take a different approach to advertising and support a right that President Barack Obama also supports, the inclusion of gay rights. Gay rights is a very relevant and controversial topic in society today, making Gap Inc. extremely bold for its advertising risk and new campaigns, “Love comes in every shade” and to “Be Bright, BE BOLD.”
Gap Inc. “Be Bright, BE BOLD” campaign is one that has brought much controversy to the company. Gap’s new billboard features a real-life same-sex couple — Tony nominee Rory O'Malley and his boyfriend Gerold Schroeder, hugging each other while in the same shirt and in another ad, Gap features musician Rufus Wainwright and husband Jorn Weisbrod in a holiday ad. It’s apparent that Gap is taking a significant step in trying to enlarge their customer foundation by supporting gay love/rights and also using the rhetoric appeal pathos - appealing to the emotions of its viewers. The first ad is very partial to gay young men as well. The couple looks young and happy, giving hope to homosexual men as well but to establish an indirect relationship with themselves and the company. The ad could help young homosexuals who are “in the closet” to be comfortable with themselves and sexuality. The second ad is more partial to men of a mature status. Rufus and his lover do not look young as the other two young men but it shows that love matures along with life. Gap Inc....