Should Gap integrate all of their properties online?
Looking at the Old Navy website to see what’s new, I noticed a box on the side of the main page advertising Crocs from Piperlime. Piperlime is the online footwear website that Gap launched last year. Carrying a range of styles and brands, this website is a very interesting endeavor by Gap.
Up until now, I don’t remember seeing much advertising for Piperlime on the other Gap Inc. properties. I could be wrong on that, but nothing has jumped out at me in the past. After seeing this integration on the Old Navy website, I checked and it is also on the main page for Gap and Banana Republic.
This is a great way to leverage their own brand through multiple channels. I’d venture to guess that a large segment of the shoppers of Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic, are not aware of the Piperlime brand. It is very smart to see them expose the brand this way.
I would love to see them take another step and integrate Piperlime even further into their brands. Why not include Piperlime shoes as recommendations to outfits on Gap.com? I realize all three of their brands have footwear selections of their own, but they are very limited compared to what Piperlime is offering.
In order for Gap to continue their turnaround efforts, they need to focus on three different consumer segments for their three brands. It is something they are working on already. But I’m imagine that there is still going to be some overlap between the brands. Why not take things even further and integrate all of the brands? Not one website, exactly, but recommend a Gap sweater to go with a pair of Banana Republic khakis and shoes from Piperlime.
Customers who bought this Gap shirt also bought these Old Navy jeans. I know I’m not the only one shopping at all three of their stores.
A great way for Gap Inc. to do all of this would be with a blog. Put a human face on the company and show off the newest fashions. Show me the new collection coming into my local Gap store and show me how I can dress that up with items from Banana Republic. Using already available technology, like blogging, could be a cornerstone of Gap’s continued regrowth efforts.
Again, I don’t think Gap should combine all of their brands into one. They need to have distinct plans for all of them. But there will be overlap and, I just have to wonder, if there is opportunity to leverage that online.
More Piperlime images:
What do you think? Am I crazy to think this or Gap Inc strengthen their overall brands by integrating them somehow online?
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[...] to create a real interactive user community. The other day I laid out some ideas for ways Gap Inc. could integrate their sites together, and most of them apply here. Use a blog to showcase new fashion and reach out to the customer. JCP [...]
You are correct, GAP needs to look at creating brand strength with one name. With all the different brands there is a loss of focus and an additional that come with the multiple brands.
[...] one year ago, I discussed the number of reasons why Gap, Inc. should integrate all of their brands online. Today, they’ve taken the first steps to doing. Now, the customer is able to shop all four [...]