Commercials for some high-fashion brands feature some of the most bizarre, disjointed and ridiculous marketing I've ever seen, and the new Old Navy 'Dress Like a Guy' marketing campaign takes direct aim at these ads.
The ad, developed by San Francisco-based ad folks Camp + King and launched today, features a series of high-cheekboned male-model types alternatively posing and writhing in a way endemic to high-fashion commercials. The clothing in the Old Navy 'Dress Like a Guy' ad also accurately reflects the pretentious clothing that seems to dominate these ads.
At the end of the commercial, a message implores viewers to "Dress Like a Guy, Not THIS Guy" and points an arrow at a particularly jerky-looking male model. The campaign hits on a real issue that both men and women can relate to and has all the markings of an advertisement likely to hit viral video status.
What's Driving This Trend
- Anti-luxury Fashion
- Opportunity for companies to market affordable and practical clothing, directly targeting consumers who are put off by pretentious luxury brands.
- Authentic Advertising
- Opportunity to create humorous and relatable ads that engage with consumers and communicate the brand's values effectively, not just relying on high-fashion tropes.
- Gender-fluid Fashion
- Opportunity to create clothing that is not strictly marketed to one gender, but instead recognized for its functionality, comfort, and style for anyone to wear.
Who This Affects Most
- Fashion Retail
- Retailers can capitalize on the trend of anti-luxury by providing affordable clothing that the majority of people can relate to and feel comfortable in.
- Ad Agencies
- Agencies can focus on creating humorous and authentic ads that get people talking and reflect the values of their clients.
- Gender-inclusive Fashion
- Clothing designers and manufacturers can embrace gender-fluidity by creating clothing that appeals to a wide consumer base, rather than confining clothing to one gender identity.
