At Gap, the Christmas campaign has now become a recurring music format. On 3 November 2026, the fashion brand launched the third edition of "Give Your Gift": three US choirs sing together a new version of "I'll Be There" by Jackson 5. The film is only the start – social clips, behind-the-scenes insights and a temporary store in New York extend the story right up to the point of purchase.
This turns a seasonal commercial into a brand series that delivers a new chapter every year while remaining instantly recognisable.
An idea that still works in its third year
2024 set Gap for "Give Your Gift" on an a cappella version of Janet Jackson's "Together Again". 2025 reinterpreted Miley Cyrus' "The Climb" with singer Sienna Spiro and an intergenerational choir. This year, A Cappella Academy, Tonality and Sainted – three independent vocal groups – stand in front of the camera. Carissa Gallo directed; Alexander Lloyd Blake was responsible for arrangement and musical direction.
The core motif remains: fashion and music as expressions of personality and community. This does not necessarily reduce the brand's production costs, but it creates a reliable thematic framework for new films, short formats and activations. For social teams this is attractive: they don't have to explain an entirely new brand world every year.
The film gets a real-world address
Gap is running the campaign across digital, social, video and its own brand channels. In addition, a multi-day pop-up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is planned for November. It is set to showcase CashSoft knitwear, accessories and fragrances, among other things, alongside gift wrapping and personalisation. Selected stores will get their own Christmas areas with similar offerings.
This makes the campaign particularly interesting for retailers: the brand idea moves from the emotional video through short social content to a concrete service at the point of sale. A comparable link between film and store experience is shown by LEGO's Christmas campaign with seven supporting short clips. John Lewis, meanwhile, deliberately launches its Christmas story on social media first.
One corporate group, two reach mechanics
Sister brand Old Navy is taking a completely different pace at the same time. In the "Jingle Jet" spot, presented on 5 November, appearances include Alan Cumming, Meg Stalter, Paris Hilton, Charli D'Amelio, True Whitaker and creator Vidya Gopalan. While Gap relies on a repeatable cultural narrative, Old Navy mobilises prominent personalities and their diverse audiences for a price-focused product range.
This selection shows two possible models for seasonal marketing: a format that grows over years, and a short-term, especially conspicuous cast. Tecovas also uses music as a recurring brand channel – independent of the calendar.
For marketing teams, a practical test can be derived from this: does the creative core idea still fit next season and can it carry several touchpoints? If so, it may become more than a single Christmas film – namely an annual occasion on which community and retail can build together.
Sources: Gap: Give Your Gift 2026, 3 November · Old Navy: Jingle Jet, 5 November · Gap: Give Your Gift 2025 · Marketing Dive, 5 November 2026
