Old Navy is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
brandA brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as "cultural accessories and personal philosophies".-Concepts:...
of clothing and chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc. Old Navy's corporate operations are within Gap in San Francisco and
San BrunoSan Bruno is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 40,165 at the 2000 census.The city is adjacent to, but does not include San Francisco International Airport and Golden Gate National Cemetery .-Geography:San Bruno is located at...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new
Mission BayMission Bay is a neighborhood on the central bayshore of San Francisco, roughly bounded by Townsend Street on the north, Third Street and San Francisco Bay on the east, Mariposa Street on the south, and 7th Street and Interstate 280 on the west. It was created in 1998 by the Board of Supervisors...
district of San Francisco. Gap, Inc. was run by President and CEO
Paul PresslerPaul Pressler is an advisor of the New York- and London-based private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Formerly president and CEO of Gap, Inc...
from September 2002 - January 22, 2007. Robert J. Fisher served as Interim Chief Executive Officer commencing January 22, 2007. Glenn Murphy is the current CEO of Gap, Inc. The Interim President of Old Navy is Tom Wyatt, the president of the Gap, Inc. Outlet Division. Dawn Robertson, the former president, resigned on February 19, 2008 and Wyatt will be in control until a permanent replacement is found.
History
Old Navy opened its first stores in
ColmaColma is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, at the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 1,191 at the 2000 census...
,
San LeandroSan Leandro is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is considered a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco. The population was estimated to be 82,472 as of January 1, 2009. The climate of the city is mild throughout the year....
and
PittsburgPittsburg is a city located in eastern Contra Costa County, California, the outer portion of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area.It has one BART station, the Pittsburg/Bay Point Station located in Bay Point.The current zip code is 94565 for both...
in Northern
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
in 1994. These first three stores were originally constructed as Gap Warehouse stores. The size and scale of the stores were larger and more diverse than any stores opened by the company before. Within the first year of existence, Old Navy opened 57 stores. , Old Navy has more than 1,000 stores in the United States and Canada. The largest Old Navy stores are its flagship stores, located in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
, the
Mall of AmericaMall of America is a super-regional shopping mall located in the Twin Cities suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. The mall is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the interstate from the Minneapolis-St. Paul...
,
SeattleSeattle is located in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Situated in the western part of Washington State on an isthmus between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, about south of the Canada – United States border, it is named after Chief Sealth, of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes...
,
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
, and
San FranciscoSan Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States, with a 2008 estimated population of 808,976. It is the eighth most densely populated city in the U.S. and is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San...
. The largest of these is located on Market Street in
San FranciscoSan Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States, with a 2008 estimated population of 808,976. It is the eighth most densely populated city in the U.S. and is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San...
.
In 1994, the Founder of Gap, Inc., and the CEO were visiting Paris, France and came upon a place distinctly named Old Navy and it struck a chord with them. (The Old Navy official site says,
"Old Navy was named after a bar in Paris.") In 1999, Old Navy expanded its franchise to 6 locations in Puerto Rico. In 2001, Old Navy opened 12 stores in the
Greater Toronto AreaThe Greater Toronto Area is the most populous metropolitan area in Canada. The GTA is a provincial planning area in Southern Ontario with a population of 5,555,912 at the 2006 Canadian Census...
in
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
,
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Furthermore, in 2004, 7 stores were opened in the
QuebecQuebec is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking identity and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
(including 6 in the
MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
Area). Old Navy has since opened several more stores in Ontario, and the rest of Canada.
Concept
Old Navy's
target marketA target market is the market segment which a particular product is marketed to. It is often defined by age, gender and/or socio-economic grouping....
largely consists of price conscious though still fashion oriented teens to adults. The clothing is more affordable than its other Gap, Inc., counterparts. Old Navy's stores contain specialized sections for infants, boys, girls, men, and women. Most recently, Old Navy launched a re-worked line of denim for women sizes 0 to 20, men's re-worked denim and released the new line in fall 2008. In addition to clothing, Old Navy also sells a variety of accessories such as shoes, handbags, toys, hats, and sunglasses, along with a line of clothing and toys for dogs.
For many years, Old Navy has attempted to put out a product a year that focuses on attempting to catch on, some more successful than others. The products that stand out are the Tech Vest, Flip Flops and the Performance Fleece.
Flagship stores also have "collection" business clothes for women, plus size and maternity sections. As of summer 2007 however, plus-size clothing is only available online and has been pulled from all stores. Online sales have proceeded to flourish after being offered exclusively online. Previously, Old Navy attempted to launch a bath and body line, called ONbody (Obsessively Natural), but dropped the effort after only a few months.
Old Navy informally bills itself as an all-American brand, despite producing most of its clothes outside the United States. The chain releases a shirt every summer emblazoned with an
American flagThe flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows of five stars...
. Each year's shirt features a slightly altered flag graphic with the year listed underneath. Alternatively, they also offer shirts with the
Puerto Rican flagThe Flags of Puerto Rico represent and symbolize the island and people of Puerto Rico. The most common used flags of Puerto Rico are the current flag which represents the people of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; municipal flags which represent the different regions of the island; political flags...
on them. In its Canadian stores, a similar shirt with the
Canadian flagThe National Flag of Canada, also known as the Maple Leaf, and , is a red flag with a white square in its centre, featuring a stylized 11-pointed red maple leaf. Its adoption in 1965 marked the first time a national flag had been officially adopted in Canada to replace the Union Flag...
is sold.
On 2007-10-01,
Todd OldhamTodd Oldham is an American-born designer and president of L-7 Designs Inc. His fun, lighthearted approach to fashion and style has become known to millions through his fashion lines, interior designs, books and by appearing in television shows...
became Old Navy's creative director over product. In February 2009, Mr. Oldham left Old Navy.
Advertisement campaigns
The most notable aspect of Old Navy's television advertisements is their
kitschKitsch is a German word denoting art that is considered an inferior, tasteless copy of an extant style of art or a worthless imitation of art of recognized value. The concept is associated with the deliberate use of elements that may be thought of as cultural icons while making cheap...
y, satirical and tone toward a
retroRetro is a term used to describe, denote or classify culturally outdated or aged trends, modes, or fashions, from the overall postmodern past, but have since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into...
time period, vaguely between 1940 and 1960. In sharp contrast to the Gap's advertisements, Old Navy's feature chipper family members sporting their clothing line while engaging in wholesome family activities, such as barbecuing. A common tagline used in their campaigns is
" [insert clothing article here] for the whole family!"
Old Navy is also known for its advertising campaigns featuring celebrities such as
Molly SimsMolly Sims is an American model and actress. Sims is best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues and her role as Delinda Deline in the NBC drama Las Vegas.-Early life:...
,
Morgan FairchildMorgan Fairchild is an American actress. She achieved prominence during the late 1970s and early 1980s with continuing roles in several television series, in which she usually conveyed a glamorous image. Fairchild has also performed in live theater and played guest roles in television comedies...
,
Joan CollinsJoan Henrietta Collins OBE is an English actress, author, and columnist.-Early life:Collins was born in Paddington, London, the daughter of Elsa , a dance teacher and nightclub hostess, and Joseph William Collins, an agent whose clients would later include Shirley Bassey, The Beatles and Tom Jones...
,
Fran DrescherFrancine Joy "Fran" Drescher is an Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-nominated American film and television actress, comedian, screenwriter, tv director, producer, author, activist and political lobbyist best known for playing Fran Fine on the television series The Nanny.-Early life:Drescher was born...
,
Vanessa Anne HudgensVanessa Anne Hudgens is an American actress and singer. After working in local theater plays and television commercials in her childhood, Hudgens made her screen debut in the 2003 drama film Thirteen as Noel. Hudgens starred in the 2004 science-fiction-adventure film Thunderbirds playing the...
,
Kristin ChenowethKristin Chenoweth is an American singer, musical theatre, film, and television actress, and author. Some of her best-known roles have included her role as Sally Brown in Broadway's You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, her role as Glinda in Broadway's Wicked, and her role as Annabeth Schott in...
, The Village People, Rupaul, Tim Armbruster and
Lil' KimKimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and singer who was part of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A....
, and Lights. Another popular spokesperson was former
VogueVogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine published in 16 countries + Latin America by Condé Nast Publications. Each month, Vogue publishes a magazine addressing topics of fashion, life and design.-Style and influence:...
editor
Carrie DonovanCarrie Donovan was style editor for The New York Times Magazine, best known for her work in Old Navy commercials where she wore her trademark large eyeglasses and black clothing, often declaring the merchandise "Fabulous!"...
, who often appeared in ads with company "spokesdog," Magic. According to Gap, Inc., Magic, an Airedale terrier mix, was rescued from the streets of
San JoseSan Jose or San José is the third-largest city in California and the tenth-largest in the United States. The county seat of Santa Clara County, it is located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region commonly referred to as Silicon Valley...
. Magic remains an informal
mascotThe term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
of the company, though Donovan has since died. Many of the Old Navy television commercials featured voiceovers by
Bill WendellBill Wendell was an NBC television staff announcer for almost his entire professional career.-Biography:...
of the David Letterman show.
Old Navy started a contest in June 2006 to choose a new mascot dog to replace Magic through a nationwide search contest. Paco, a mixed breed male from Venice Beach, California, was announced as the new Old Navy mascot on July 23, 2006.
JeffersonsThe Jeffersons is an American sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, through June 25, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes produced by T.AT. Communications Company from 1975-1982 and Embassy Television from 1982-1985...
stars
Isabel SanfordIsabel Sanford was an American actress best known for her role as Louise "Weezy" Jefferson on the CBS television sitcoms All in the Family and The Jeffersons .-Career:...
and
Sherman HemsleySherman Alexander Hemsley is an American actor, most famous for his role as George Jefferson on the CBS television series All in the Family and The Jeffersons and as Deacon Ernest Frye on Amen. He also played Earl Sinclair's horrifying boss, a Triceratops named B.P...
appeared in a number of Old Navy
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
commercials in the late 1990s and early 2000s until Sanford died.
The soundtracks played at Old Navy feature up-beat, modern music. Songs are mostly current, include remixes and indie beats, as well as upbeat pop and R&B/Hip Hop records.
In 2007, Old Navy's advertising was brought back in-house, and its television campaign began to make the transition from kitsch, to a more modern sensibility, highlighting seasonal product news. With the relaunch of their denim fits in fall, the advertising took on a sexier, more female-centric tone, and began using lesser known musical artists. The sweater spot in September was credited with launching the career of
Ingrid MichaelsonIngrid Thelianne Michaelson is a New York-based indie-pop singer-songwriter best known for her single "The Way I Am." Her music has been featured in episodes of several popular television shows, including Scrubs, Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill, as well as in Old Navy's Fall 2007 Fair Isle...
, an unsigned artist found by Old Navy's marketing creative director, Landis Smithers, on Myspace. Landis Smithers left Old Navy in 2008 as Old Navy began to move its focus away from modern fashion and back to the brand's kitchy, fun, family oriented roots.
In spring of 2008, Old Navy started its brand relaunch with a new episodic television campaign, leveraging long-form stories online, then sixties and thirties on air. The campaign featured the music of Lights, another unsigned artist, and provides story arcs of modern romances that span the entire season. The campaign leveraged Old Navy's new strategy of monthly "fast fashion" news, something that started with its commitment to a faster product pipeline, and a deeper focus on more modern, relevant product in stores.
A recurring song (and artist) used by Old Navy, "World Go 'Round" by Australian rock/pop/dance band
Rogue TradersRogue Traders is a British-Australian dance-electro band consisting of James Ash and Danny Spencer . The group's original members met in London in 1989. Before forming Rogue Traders, Ash and Davis worked together on many projects, most notably as dance act Union State...
, has been featured in TV spots, promos, and in-store soundtracks. "World Go 'Round", "
Watching You"Watching You" is the third song released by Australian band Rogue Traders from their second album Here Come the Drums. The song was released as their second single in the United Kingdom in late 2006....
", and "Believer", all from the 2005 album
Here Come the DrumsHere Come the Drums is the second studio album by Australian dance act Rogue Traders, released in Australia on 23 October 2005 by Columbia Records. The album features the Rogue Traders with the new and then vocalist Natalie Bassingthwaighte and has a genre of dance pop songs — mainly...
, were originally used as part of the summer 2007 Summerland campaign, but they have also been included in more recent ads.
In 2009, Old Navy hired advertising agency
Crispin Porter + BoguskyCrispin Porter + Bogusky, a member of publicly-traded MDC Partners , is an advertising agency that currently employs around 700 people.The agency is headquartered in Miami, Florida, with a growing "co-headquarters" in Boulder, Colorado and additional offices in Santa Monica and London...
to create a new advertising campaign. Also, the old logo was revived in 2009 after the new logo ended. The team came up with Old Navy's current advertising campaign that stars mannequins (Kelly, Heather, Amy, Eva, Michelle, Wesley, Josh, Christopher, Kimmy, Natalie, Rita) who carry the title "Supermodelquins". To promote their new campaign the company also created a new website, OldNavyWeekly.com
http://oldnavyweekly.com. The site has become a hit with many customers, providing many coupons with very large discounts. There is much debate about when the coupons are reset, which has ensued quite a discussion between customers. The coupons upload on Thursday evenings.
External links