BANANA REPUBLIC HOLIDAY 2017 MARKETING CAMPAIGN - "COME TOGETHER"

I recently stumbled upon a Banana Republic sponsored ad on Instagram the other day and automatically fell in love with not only the clothing, but how the short video was shot. It definitely caught my eye... but as I browsed through the comments, it seemed obvious that the video ad would not only cause a stir but be in the middle of an online controversy. Inadvertently, it seemed to have caused a social media frenzy.                           

To give you some background, the Come Together story celebrates the excitement of holiday travel and the anticipation to get where you want to be. “We tried to find an eclectic cast that could be friends in real life and that reflects how people celebrate the holidays today. It’s not about one age or one demographic. It’s about coming together because of shared interests,” says our Creative Director Len Peltier.                                             

The campaign features a mix of real families, friends, models and animals... which is the beauty of it. Well, at least that is what one may think. The images are separated into mini vignettes of everyone arriving in style. The mini vignette that caught the most attention, both positive and negative, was the one featuring one of my favorite male models - Lono Brazil. As seen in the image above, he is accompanied by a younger, female companion. 

Click video link.

Unfortunately, that idea was not shared by some of the video's viewers on Instagram that day. It led one to think, ideally we'd like to think we have evolved as a people - but is America still not ready to see not only an interracial couple but a couple with a perceived age difference? It caused some viewers to claim their were concerned with how women were portrayed in media, as if we only see younger women with older men. Was this his daughter or lover? That actually peaked the most interest. Others took on a more hateful tone and commenting on the racial divide.             

One would think in the year 2017 we have come further. In hindsight, conversations like this should exist to bring light to these subject matters and hopefully solutions to ongoing issues. Isn't this the goal of an insightful marketing campaign - A successful marketing campaign moves and inspires, resonating deeply with a brand’s target audience.?