In May 2012, Gap launched its summer “Be Your Own T” campaign to showcase three distinct categories of the brand’s new t-shirt collection -- the Now Tees, Essential Tees and G Tees -- plus t-shirt inspired styles in the form of dresses, skirts and rompers.

“Be Your Own T” expresses the qualities that make each one of us unique through the lens of a ‘T,‘” said Seth Farbman, Gap’s Global Chief Marketing Officer. “Just as we did with our 1969 jeans, we’ve reinvented our t-shirt collection from the ground up, offering a t-shirt that fits everyone’s personality, style, passions and budget.”

To make a statement, the media had to be bold. Large-format, high-profile bulletins or walls were used in every market. “Be Your Own T” would celebrate individuality where Millennials live, work and play.

After identifying key areas of interest, the agency leveraged tactical OOH formats to be Gap’s “voice” on city streets. Media penetrated neighborhoods, high traffic corridors, shopping districts, restaurants/clubs & downtown cores to reach the target audience. The agency leveraged the creative innovation & flexibility that traditional OOH offers by creating, large-scale installations that used real t-shirts as part of the “T”-shaped spectaculars.

Since social media was a key driver in the overall campaign, the technology of digital OOH was harnessed to create a social experience that would transcend beyond the MTV digital billboard in Times Square. People interacted with the billboard by tweeting a photo of themselves with the hashtag #beyourownt. Using a camera across the street, Gap took a keepsake photo of the user’s photo on the billboard and tweeted it back to the consumer. Keepsake photos were also published on Gap’s Facebook page, allowing fans to tag each other.

Markets: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles/Orange County, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington DC

Flighting Dates: May 7 - June 3, 2012

Out of Home Formats: Bulletins, Wallscapes, Transit Shelters, Urban Panels, Phone Kiosks, King Size Bus Posters, Street Kiosks, Muni Kongs, Digital Bulletins (including the interactive MTV Times Square unit), Back Bay Banners (Boston), Commuter Rail 2-sheets (Philadelphia), Digital Shelters (DC)

Embellished walls/bulletins using t-shirts were placed in all markets except Philadelphia and Washington DC

“Be Your Own T” was a success. Using high-profile bulletins, wallscapes, static and digital bus shelters, urban panels, kiosks, bus posters, digital billboards and spectaculars, GAP successfully targeted 18-34 year old Millennials for the launch of their new t-shirt collection.

GAP North America saw a 6% increase in sales, compared to a 4% drop the previous year. While not the only medium in the plan, OOH served as the canvas upon which “Be Your Own T” could celebrate individuality by speaking directly to Millennials as they moved throughout their day.