In 2017, parents and teachers felt a mix of deep anxiety and big changes when it came to raising kids. And parents were actively looking for ways to build emotional resilience in their children amid a chaotic world.
GapKids ‘Forward with’ Campaign was launched to directly counter this national tense mood by focusing on a hopeful future. By shifting the cliché focus away from just school clothes to "dressing" kids' internal strengths, we honored and celebrated the real, unsung heroes shaping our kids’ character for a better tomorrow.
Forward with confidence.
Forward with focus.
Forward with creativity.
Forward with kindness.
From the Commerical Screen to the Big Screen
Moving GapKids beyond traditional commercial advertising, we developed their first authentic storytelling initiative : a five-minute documentary film titled It Takes a Village. The film celebrates human progress through raw, intimate portraits of ordinary people driving extraordinary change. And by strategically partnering with cultural figures —including Wonder author R.J. Palacio and actor Jacob Tremblay — we secured a nationwide theatrical release. Timed perfectly to match the debut of the feature film Wonder, the mini-documentary successfully captured a dual audience of both parents and kids.
While quickly garnering 500,000+ views on Gap’s YouTube channel and spreading nationwide through cinema, the campaign’s impact on our kids and community heroes is immeasurable. Following our campaign, third-grade teacher Jasmyn Wright gained widespread press and community engagements, including leading her "Push Through" chants with the Philadelphia Eagles and delivering TED Talks. She has since become an international speaker whose classroom "grew to a much larger one." Even years later, celebrities and audiences continue to share the film, applauding GapKids for supporting a more inclusive and empowered future.
Peer-to-Peer
Social Content
to amplify influence.
Rooted in the truth that children learn best by mirroring one another, we extended our narrative ecosystem into highly actionable social content. Through a series of charmingly raw, child-hosted segments — ranging from mindfulness tutorials to motivational "superhero" advice — we let the youth drive the narrative. Relinquishing brand control allowed us to establish deep authenticity, scaling our campaign's footprint beyond consumer screens into homes & classrooms to truly inspire & empower the next generation.
A Forward-Thinking Communications Strategy
that could celebrate personalities as much as products across every stage of childhood.
Across all print advertising — including OOH, in-store, and editorial — the ‘Forward with’’ campaign established a versatile narrative framework for GapKids global back-to-school communications. While preserving the campaign's emotional core, the messaging fluidly shifted tones to match different audiences and brand objectives. It effortlessly elevated style and attitude for older kids while maintaining an endearing warmth for toddlers, all while seamlessly spotlighting seasonal products and quality details.
Forward with
the whole new collection.
#gaptoschool
Showcasing the full Fall Collection was critical for a global brand like GapKids, but it didn't mean abandoning our emotionally driven "Forward with" campaign. Through playful, stop-motion videos, we featured the complete back-to-school line while achieving the core Collection objectives of how to mix, match, and layer.
Each video was defined by the child's unique personality, capturing everything from quiet confidence to energetic, impromptu fashion shows.