> At a Glance
> – Girl group KATSEYE‘s “Better in Denim” Gap spot hit 23 million views in a week
> – The ad features all six members dancing to Kelis’ 2003 hit “Milkshake” in Gap jeans
> – Member Lara Raj‘s bindi moment inspired a young fan to embrace her heritage
> – Why it matters: Representation in mainstream ads can instantly shift how kids see themselves
Six months after launch, KATSEYE‘s Gap campaign is still sparking TikTok stitches and mom-blog praise. The global girl group’s denim dance-off has become a case study in how fast a brand spot can travel when identity and nostalgia collide.
Inside the Campaign
The 30-second spot, choreographed by Robbie Blue, shows Sophia Laforteza, Manon Bannerman, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, and Yoonchae Jeung trading solos against a white studio backdrop. Gap released the ad in August, weeks after Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign drew backlash for word-play critics called racially coded.
Laforteza, 23, tells News Of Los Angeles the group expected a strong reaction, “but the volume of DMs from South-Asian parents saying their daughters asked for bindis after seeing Lara was next-level.”
Representation Ripple Effect
- Indian-American and openly bisexual, Raj, 20, says one mom posted that her daughter “suddenly wanted to start wearing bindis” after spotting Raj’s accessory in the ad.
- Laforteza calls the moment proof that “tiny styling choices can rewrite what kids think is normal, cool, or even possible.”
- The group intentionally kept styling multicultural-each member wears her own denim cut and cultural accent.
| Milestone | August Launch | January Stats |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube views | 1.2 M | 23 M |
| TikTok recreations | 8 K | 180 K |
| Brand hashtag uses | 50 K | 1.1 M |
Addressing the Sweeney Comparison
Gap’s ad dropped soon after American Eagle’s “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” spot fueled debate over whether “jeans/genes” messaging hinted at genetic superiority. Sweeney, 28, told News Of Los Angeles she “loves the jeans,” not the interpretation some attached.
Laforteza stresses there was “no other intention of going against anything. We’re all here to celebrate everything, and the timelessness of denim.”
Key Takeaways
- KATSEYE’s Gap spot proves inclusive casting drives organic reach
- A single accessory (Raj’s bindi) can become a cultural spark
- Timing next to a controversy amplified attention, not animosity
- The 2003 Kelis track gave the ad cross-generational appeal
Denim ads rarely stay in rotation half a year; this one keeps gaining steam because, as Laforteza puts it, “girls everywhere finally saw themselves in a Gap commercial.”
