Old Navy
From Free net encyclopedia
Old Navy is a brand of clothing and chain of stores that is owned by Gap Inc., which also owns the Gap, Banana Republic, and Forth & Towne brands. Old Navy's corporate operations are with The Gap in San Francisco and San Bruno, California.
Contents |
History
Launched in 1994 as a value chain, Old Navy opened its first store in Colma, California. As of 2005, Old Navy has more than 800 stores in many cities in the United States and Canada, the largest of which is in Chicago, Illinois.
The name "Old Navy" was chosen because originally the stores were supposed to emulate the look and feel of a traditional military surplus store. While this motif was quickly dropped, many stores retain a warehouse-like/urban decor.
The online store, oldnavy.com, commenced operations in 2000.
In 2001, Old Navy opened 12 stores in Canada, offerring the same products at slightly higher prices.
Concept
Old Navy's target market largely consists of middle class families and teenagers; accordingly, the clothing is trendy, yet more affordable than its other Gap Inc. counterparts, as well as that of rival stores like American Eagle, Aeropostale, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Hollister. Old Navy's stores contain specialized sections for infants, boys, girls, men, and women, and within these categories contain styles for many occasions. In addition to clothing, Old Navy also sells a variety of accessories such as shoes, handbags, toys, hats, and sunglasses. Perhaps Old Navy's most recognizable product are their popular flip-flops.
Old Navy informally bills itself as an all-American brand. The chain releases a shirt every summer emblazoned with an American flag. Each year's shirt features a slightly altered flag graphic with the year listed underneath. In its Canadian stores, a similar shirt with the Canadian flag is sold.
Advertisement Campaigns
The most notable aspect of Old Navy's television advertisements are their satirical tone toward a retro time period, vaguely between 1940 and 1960. In sharp contrast to the Gap's advertisements, Old Navy's feature chipper family members sporting their clothing line while engaging in wholesome family activities, such as barbecueing. A common tagline used in their campaigns is the widely recognized "(insert clothing article here) for the whole family!".
Old Navy is also known for its advertising campaigns featuring celebrities such as Morgan Fairchild, Fran Drescher, and hip hop artist Lil Kim. Another popular spokesperson was former Vogue editor Carrie Donovan, who often appeared in ads with company "spokesdog," Magic. According to Gap Inc., Magic, an Airedale terrier mix, was rescued from the streets of San Jose. Magic remains an informal mascot of the company, though Donovan has since passed away.
Jeffersons stars Isabel Sanford and Sherman Helmsley appeared in a number of Old Navy television commercials in the late 1990s and early 2000s.