Gap Inc. has launched a social media advocacy platform that will serve as a centralized hub for creators to engage across the Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta brands, providing them with access to new releases, product seeding and exclusive promotions as well as content collaboration opportunities. Creators also will gain the ability to have their content amplified across paid, social and brand-owned channels.
“Gap Inc.’s affiliate program model emphasizes scaled community advocacy and authentic brand engagement,” said Damon Berger, Head of Digital Engagement at Gap Inc. in a statement. “By balancing creator convenience and empowerment with rich brand storytelling, this new program will position us to build closer relationships with creators, amplify their content across all our channels and leverage data-driven insights to deliver greater impact at scale.”
The new program will initially accept applications from U.S.-based creators 18 years or older with at least 1,000 followers on a single platform. In future phases of the program, Gap Inc. plans to expand the program internationally. Those creators who are selected will be able to immediately engage with commission-earning affiliate programs and product gifting campaigns across the Gap brands.
The creator economy is on a strong growth path: a June 2025 Forbes article quotes a 2023 Goldman Sachs report that predicted it could nearly double by 2027, reaching $480 billion.Additionally, several retailers have been honing their offerings to creators, notably Sephora with its recently introduced My Sephora Storefront, which gives U.S. influencers opportunities to build shoppable digital storefronts and includes full integration with the retailer’s data analytics and performance insights.
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Are Gap Turnaround Efforts Finally Paying Off?
Gap Inc. has been struggling with disappointing sales for the last few years. In its most recent financial report, for Q2 2025, which ended Aug. 2, 2025, net sales of $3.7 billion were flat compared to the same period the previous year, with comparable sales up just 1% year-over-year.
The retailer has been putting resources behind a turnaround, and in a September 22, 2025 CNBC interview Gap Inc. CEO Richard Dickson gave an update on the company’s efforts: “I think we’re making extraordinary progress. If you look at how we’ve been executing against our strategic priorities, financial and operational rigor has driven stability in the top line. Last quarter we shared that our top three brands [Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic] all posted comp consecutive quarterly growth, market share gains and credibility in the context of our brand relevance, which is a really important part of this particular industry.
“We’re sitting in a much stronger position than we were two years ago, and we’re now poised to enter the next phase of our transformation journey, which is about building momentum and ultimately, accelerating growth,” Dickson added.
Gap Expands Beauty Assortment, Touts Collaborations with Top Designers
These turnaround efforts include Gap’s recent addition of beauty and personal care products to its assortment, beginning with test-and-learn pilots in 150 Old Navy stores and with plans to expand the program in 2026. A new GapStudio collection from celebrity designer Zac Posen, who Gap named Chief Creative Officer in February 2024, recently debuted at Gap stores and online, and Old Navy has shared plans for its first fashion collaboration with American designer Anna Sui to reimagine some of the brand’s most popular styles.
Gap Inc. also has entered a multi-year partnership with Google Cloud that will provide the retailer’s entire portfolio of brands with a unified AI-powered platform, designed to fuel innovation and efficiency using Google Cloud technologies such as Gemini, Vertex AI and BigQuery. Gap will be looking for improvements in product innovation, customer experience, marketing optimization and employee empowerment with the AI-powered tools.
