I think I made The Gap's naughty list. I submit the following statement from The Gap as proof:
"May I point out that it might have been a good idea to call us before you went to press regarding your column titled ‘When Liberals Attack! How The Gap Killed Christmas’ because the content is not based on fact."
Thus began a terse email I received from Louise Callagy from Gap, Inc. media relations, taking me to task over my criticism of the company's non-use of the word "Christmas" in their holiday advertising. The column centered around news the American Family Association (AFA) had called for a boycott of the Gap and its sister stores Old Navy and Banana Republic after the company had stated in the past it would not use the word in lieu of more "inclusive" terms.
The Gap was upset because they say they DO have a commercial that mention Christmas. They claim it was released November 12, the day before my column was written (it was published just after midnight, dating it November 14). They made no effort to make AFA aware of their intentions to use the word in their advertising, even though AFA had made repeated requests over the years to the Gap to change their Christmas advertising policy
In a statement provided by the Gap, the company said they "were unable to share this information in previous communications with the AFA." It seems the Gap was in no hurry to defend themselves until the AFA's boycott announcement gained national attention.
While the Gap's new commercial certainly does mention Christmas (watch it below), it's hardly anything to celebrate. In another November 13 press release, the Gap calls the commercial "irreverent and culturally relevant" and part of their "holiday campaign," without using the word "Christmas." Instead of giving Christmas a respectful mention, the commercial gives it a cultural kick in the shin.
Built around the concept of a cheerleader holiday chant, a bunch of vapid, beautiful people in overpriced Gap attire shout "Go Christmas," "Go Hanukkah," "Go Kwanzaa," "Go Solstice," and end it with "Happy Whateveryouwannakah." It's 50% "Glee," 50% "Bring It On,"and 100% fail. This slice of PC garbage was clever for five minutes way back when "The O.C." did their "Chrismukkah" episode. Now, it seems like a desperate attempt to get every possible demographic to shop in their stores. Amazingly, this is what the Gap thought would make everyone happy.
Perhaps if the corporate suits at the Gap weren't so busy trying to pat themselves on the back, they may want to look outside the windows of their San Francisco headquarters and see Charlie Brown in the street lamenting "Is this what Christmas is all about?" while Linus tries to tell the Nativity story. I'm kidding - we all know you can't mention Jesus in public in San Francisco.
Instead of falling for the Gap's cheesy commercialism, practice your right to shop "whereveryouwannakah." Patronize a place that at least recognizes Christmas and doesn't mock it for corporate gain.
For more information on the "When Liberals Attack" series, visit WhenLiberalsAttack.com.
Comments
Contacting them would have benefited you and readers by allowing you to publish an original, current article instead of rehashing an outdated, existing AFA issue.
Good article. The more companies like the Gap try remake America in their own image to be more "inclusive", the more we need people like you calling them on it. Their response was pretty lame, and the commercial is a joke. Even though the liberals can't stand it, it IS okay to believe in something and celebrate it on a national level.
"When Liberals Attack! How the Gap Killed Christmas, Part 2 "
A real man would have said, "I was wrong, I apologize"
instead you blame the victim: "It seems the Gap was in no hurry to defend themselves until the AFA's boycott announcement gained national attention."
It's not up to the Gap to defend a false accusation...If I accused my neighbor of being of being a criminal, then I was proven wrong, it's not a defense to say, "well, he didn't deny it, so it's his fault my accusation was wrong"
These commercials take months in planning and producing...during that time, it was NOT The Gap's duty to let YOU or anyone else in on their sales campaign.
Eggman you are an idiot who is probably anti christian, so take your PC garbage and move to a communist country!
Mark shut your gob stopper, you are just bitter towards christians cause they wont let you have your gay marriage!
P.S. imbeciles I didnt see the gap commercial mention any Islamic holiday!!! ANTI MUSLIM MUCH????? Yeah uh huh right!!!
Wow... what a load of baaawww. Get a life, man.
Victor Medina,
It would be better if you and your kind would spend more time learning how to be like Christ instead of writing this self-righteous dribble. I don't recall the Bible passage where Jesus said "celebrate my birthday". Stupid religious people are a detriment to the faith.
Thank you Gap! My pantheist boyfriend celebrates all holidays (because he considers all religions to have grains of truth) and he's been waiting for someone to mention solstice for years! I might just join him this year, I'd much rather celebrate the day getting longer than receive presents. XD
And thank you Constantine the great for slamming together three different religious events to create one new holiday so that later religious fruitcakes can whine about or deny what you did.
All this makes me want to shop at GAP, Old Navy, and Banana Republic! Anything the AFA is against I am for 110%!! Happy Bodhi Day!
I honestly don't understand all of the fuss. I've been a Christian and conservative all of my life. In my 45 years never have I been offended by the mention of another winter time holiday that happens to coincide with Christmas. The Gap is a privately owned corporation and should reserve the right to express whichever views it pleases. It is not my nor anyone else's business to dictate what they can and cannot say. This great country was built upon freedom of religion and free speech. I firmly stand by these beliefs and the conviction that they are more than just words on a piece of paper. The commercial does not offend or invalidate my personal beliefs. If someone wishes me a "happy holiday" I'll smile and be thankful that someone has wished me well being.
As one of my personal heroes, Thomas Jefferson once said, “...it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg".
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