How can your brand embrace pop culture and Gen Z? Learn from Gap.

Using data from QuestBrand by The Harris Poll, Ad Age released their quarterly Gen Z brand tracker in February. This tracker ranks the top 20 brands by quarter-over-quarter brand equity growth among Gen Z adults (ages 18-28). Gap ranked 2nd, with brand equity that jumped +16.9% from Q3 (29.1) to Q4 (46.0) 2024.

Brand equity measures the value consumers see in a brand at a particular moment of time. It is an average of four components: brand familiarity, perceived quality, purchase consideration, and perceived momentum.

“Fashion brands have long courted young consumers, but some big names—including Gap and UGG—are gaining momentum with Gen Z shoppers by leaning into the marketing trends and ideals that are attractive to them.” – Will Johnson, Harris Poll co-CEO

Want to learn more about the retail industry? Check out our Retail & Ecommerce: Industry Snapshot report for trends and brand rankings.

Popular in the 90s and early 2000s, the Gap brand had all but disappeared from discussion for the last decade. In 2024, Gap started roaring back under the new leadership of CEO Matthew Boss and Creative Director Zac Posen. Why? Boss and Posen helped the Gap brand evolve – engaging with pop culture, and taking a social-first content approach.

Under its leadership, Gap dove into noteworthy partnerships that helped the longstanding American brand gain popularity with Gen Z. This included a unique blend of collaborations, including a holiday collection with the fashion brand Cult Gaia and a partnership with popular TikTok creator Julia Huynh (1.1 million followers) to create a “hoodie that hoodies.” Gap also worked with singers Troye Sivan and Tyla to produce music videos – both videos received 60+ million views on TikTok.

After all of their creative campaigns in 2024, Gap was named in Fast Company’s annual Brands That Matter list, stressing that Gap has re-established its place in the current cultural moment. We anticipate that Gap will continue to play a key role in the retail industry over the next few years, and lean into partnerships that make a splash.