Who's Gap Chasing and Why?

I see that Gap is kicking off the holiday season Target-, Lucky, and Teen Vogue-style. Last week Gap's magalog showed up in my mailbox. While I recognized the cute bouquet of colorful gloves from Gap's email and TV, everything else about it was more like other brands than its own. Even the quality of the paper felt very...not-them.

Overall, there's some nice stuff there, but the merchandising and spreads are more like Target trying to be Gap than Gap trying to be Target. As a shopper, I like how they give gifting ideas and how they tie Kodak into the merchandise, but again, where's Gap?

The colorful stickers to tag your favorite gifts in the book are fun and, at some level, useful, but so Lucky-like. I know imitation is a sign of flattery, but why not take that idea and INTERPRET it, rather than COPY it?

And finally, the punch-out cards at the back that you can use as gift tags with flirty thoughts like, "10 Things I Love About You," and "I Like You Because You Remind Me of Me" on the backs, that's Teen Vogue for you.

OK, OK, I know there has to be pressure to move more goods this holiday season, and this piece may do just that. However, like any holiday hangover, Gap may be doing a little (brand) soul  searching.