Old Navy
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| Old Navy Apparel Inc. | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Subsidiary of Gap Inc. |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California |
| Industry | Retail |
| Products | Family fashion and accessories |
| Website | oldnavy.com |
Old Navy is a brand of clothing and chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc. Old Navy's corporate operations are within Gap in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco. Gap, Inc., was run by President and CEO Paul Pressler from September 2002 - January 22, 2007. Robert J. Fisher served as Interim Chief Executive Officer commencing January 22, 2007.[1] Glenn Murphy is the current CEO of Gap, Inc. The Interim President of Old Navy is Tom Wyatt, the president of the Gap, Inc. Outlet Division. Dawn Robertson, the former president, resigned on February 19, 2008, and Mr. Wyatt will be in control until a permanent replacement is found[2].
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[edit] History
Old Navy opened its first stores in Colma, San Leandro and Pittsburg in Northern California in 1994[3]. These first three stores were originally constructed as Gap Warehouse stores[clarify]. The size and scale of the stores were larger and more diverse than any stores opened by the company before. Within the first year of existence, Old Navy opened 57 stores. As of 2007, Old Navy has more than 1,000 stores in the United States and Canada[4]. The largest Old Navy stores are its flagship stores, located in New York City, the Mall of America, Seattle, Chicago, and San Francisco[5]. The largest of these is located on Market Street in San Francisco.
In 1994, the Founder of Gap, Inc., and the CEO were visiting Paris, France and came upon a place distinctly named Old Navy and it struck a chord with them. (The Old Navy official site says, "Old Navy was named after a bar in Paris."[6]) A branding consultant two weeks before the trip abroad had presented them with the name 'Elevator'. The concept name was received with mixed reviews. It has been said that the name was chosen because the stores were to imitate the look and feel of a traditional military surplus store. While this motif was quickly dropped, though some packaging is still marked "Old Navy Surplus Co." many stores retain a warehouse-like/urban decor and the name Old Navy stuck.
The online store, oldnavy.com, launched operations in 2000. There is always a $5 shipping fee, no matter how much you purchase online at oldnavy.com
In 1999, Old Navy expanded its franchise to 6 locations in Puerto Rico. In 2001, Old Navy opened 12 stores in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Furthermore, in 2004, 7 stores were opened in the province of Quebec (including 6 in the Montreal Area). Old Navy has since opened several stores in Ontario, and the rest of Canada.
[edit] Concept
Old Navy's target market largely consists of fashion oriented yet price conscious teens to adults. The clothing is more affordable than its other Gap, Inc., counterparts. Old Navy's stores contain specialized sections for infants, boys, girls, men, and women. Most recently, Old Navy launched a re-worked line of denim for women sizes 0 to 20, mens re-worked denim will be released in fall 2008. In addition to clothing, Old Navy also sells a variety of accessories such as shoes, handbags, toys, hats, and sunglasses, along with a line of clothing and toys for dogs.
For many years, Old Navy has attempted to put out a product a year that focuses on attempting to catch on, some more successful than others. The products that stand out are the Tech Vest and the Performance Fleece.
Flagship stores also have "collection" business clothes for women, plus size and maternity sections. As of summer 2007 however, plus-size clothing is only available online and has been pulled from all stores.[7] Online sales have proceeded to flourish after being offered exclusively online. Previously, Old Navy attempted to launch a bath and body line, called ONbody (Obsessively Natural)[8], but dropped the effort after only a few months.[citation needed]
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. Alternatively, they also offer shirts with the Puerto Rican flag on them. In its Canadian stores, a similar shirt with the Canadian flag is sold.
Within the next five years, Old Navy plans to renovate all their US stores. The new Old Navy will have hardwood floors, natural lighting, and a garden inside the store. Old Navy hopes to shed its warehouse-like atmosphere and induce a more comfortable, natural shopping experience.[citation needed]. As of recently however, the new concept stores have been delayed, future dates will be announced.
Starting late September 2007, Old Navy offers Old Navy Visa cards, currently only available in the US. Unlike the regular ON credit card, these cards can be used anywhere but still bear the Old Navy logo on the front. Customers get 5% cash back on purchases at any Gap, Inc., store (Gap, Baby Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Piperline), and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The previous "Stuff 'n Save" promotions and the 10% off your first purchase are still included.
On 2007-10-01, Todd Oldham became Old Navy's creative director over product.
[edit] Advertisement campaigns
The most notable aspect of Old Navy's television advertisements is their kitschy, satirical and 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 barbecuing. A common tagline used in their campaigns is " [insert clothing article here] for the whole family!"
Old Navy is also known for its advertising campaigns featuring celebrities such as Molly Sims, Morgan Fairchild, Joan Collins, Fran Drescher, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Kristin Chenoweth, The Village People, Tim Armbruster and 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 died. Many of the Old Navy television commercials featured voiceovers by Bill Wendell of the David Letterman show.
Old Navy started a contest in June 2006 to choose a new mascot dog to replace Magic through a nationwide search contest. Paco, a mixed breed male from Venice Beach, California, was announced as the new Old Navy mascot on July 23, 2006.
Jeffersons stars Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley appeared in a number of Old Navy television commercials in the late 1990s and early 2000s until Sanford died.
The soundtracks played at Old Navy feature up-beat, modern music. Songs are mostly current, include remixes and indie beats, as well as upbeat pop and R&B/Hip Hop records.
In 2007, Old Navy's advertising was brought back in-house, and its television campaign began to make the transition from kitsch, to a more modern sensibility, highlighting seasonal product news. With the relaunch of their denim fits in fall, the advertising took on a sexier, more female-centric tone, and began using lesser known musical artists. The sweater spot in September was credited with launching the career of Ingrid Michaelson, an unsigned artist found by Old Navy's marketing creative director, Landis Smithers, on Myspace.
In spring of 2008, Old Navy started its brand relaunch with a new episodic television campaign, leveraging long-form stories online, then sixties and thirties on air. The campaign featured the music of Lights (singer), another unsigned artist, and provides story arcs of modern romances that span the entire season. The campaign levereged old navy's new strategy of monthly "fast fashion" news, something that started with its commitment to a faster product pipeline, and a deeper focus on more modern, relevant product in stores.
[edit] References
- ^ United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Form 8-K [1]
- ^ GAP INC. ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT CHANGES WITHIN OLD NAVY
- ^ Women's & Men's Clothes: Plus Size, Maternity, Baby & Kid's Clothing | Old Navy
- ^ Gap Inc. Store Count, as of August 4, 2007 [2]
- ^ Women's & Men's Clothes: Plus Size, Maternity, Baby & Kid's Clothing | Old Navy
- ^ Old Navy branding information[3]
- ^ Old Navy: Plus-size Clothing Taken Off Shelves
- ^ ON Body | Old Navy
[edit] External links
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This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of the article are generally not sufficient for a Wikipedia article. Please include more appropriate citations from reliable sources, or discuss the issue on the talk page. This article has been tagged since December 2006. |
- Official website
- Gap Inc. - Parent company website
