GAP OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
MADONNA AND MISSY ELLIOTT GET INTO THE GROOVE
IN NEW GAP TV SPOTS
Musical Icons Create Original Song and Star in Campaign Debuting July 30
SAN FRANCISCO — July 27, 2003 — Set to “Into the Hollywood Groove,” a new remix by Madonna and Missy Elliott, Gap‘s new fall TV campaign brings together two of the most iconic and influential performers in the music industry today. The TV spots featuring Madonna and Missy Elliott mark the first performance together for these musical powerhouses, resulting in the most anticipated TV campaign in Gap’s history.
“A New Groove, A New Jean”, a series of 30-second and 60-second spots featuring Gap’s fall cord jeans for women, launches on July 30, 2003. A special Director’s Cut will premiere exclusively on VH1 at 8 p.m. on July 28, 2003.
“No one brings style and music together better than Madonna and Missy Elliott,” said Gary Muto, president of Gap. “This campaign is about the new energy of cords and staying true to your individual style. Gap represents iconic American style, and who better to communicate that than Madonna.”
A limited edition Madonna and Missy Elliott CD remix will be available exclusively at Gap stores and Gap.com beginning July 31. Gap customers will receive the CD as a gift when they purchase any full priced cords or jeans. The CD features the new song “Into the Hollywood Groove” which consists of elements from “Hollywood,” Madonna’s latest single from her American Life album, and “Get into the Groove,” the 1985 smash hit that helped propel her to mega-stardom. Additionally, the CD includes a new remix of Madonna’s single “Hollywood.”
In the spot, Madonna and Missy express their individuality with customized looks that convey their personal styles. Madonna wears Gap’s new low rise cropped cords and a GapBody ribbed white tank top. Her cords feature embroidery and rhinestone detailing, including an “M” on the back pocket and “Lady M” on the front pant leg. To complete her look, the original Material Girl dresses herself up with more than $5 million in diamond jewelry from Neil Lane.
Missy’s look features Gap low rise boot cut cords worn with a matching cord jacket customized with a classic Gap gray hoodie. Underneath her jacket, she wears a classic Gap T emblazoned with an airbrushed self-portrait. Missy’s cords also feature an embroidered and studded “M”, and in true Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott style, Gap is spelled out on her pant leg in airbrushed detailing. Missy wears her own diamond jewelry.
Gap’s flagship store at 54th Street and 5th Avenue in New York will be the first place in the world that customers will be able to get the CD, beginning at 8 a.m. on July 30. Customers at that store on July 30 can have their cords and jeans exclusively customized with monogram detail as seen in the spots. Gap.com also will be offering a limited supply of customized cords.
“A New Groove, A New Jean” will air in the United States on all major networks, spot markets and cable from July 30 through August 31, 2003. It also will air on networks in Canada from July 30 – August 19; in the United Kingdom from August 20 – September 16; and in Japan from August 21 – September 10. The campaign was developed by Laird+Partners, Gap?s creative agency, and the TV spot was directed by prominent music-video and commercial director Paul Hunter. Photographer Regan Cameron shot the print elements of the campaign.
As part of the campaign and on behalf of Madonna and Missy Elliott, Gap will make a donation to the VH1 Save the Music Foundation. The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of education in America’s public schools by restoring music education programs in cities across the U.S. and raising awareness of the importance of music participation for our nation’s youth.