Former Abercrombie CMO Takes On Brand Revitalization At Gap

Traditional fashion retailers are feeling enough of a crunch from fast-fashion brands without having to worry about eCommerce cutting into their sales, too, but Gap hopes that a shake-up to its executive board and some new blood could get them back in the game in a major way.

Advertising Age reported that Gap has brought on Craig Brommers, former marketing executive for Abercrombie & Fitch and Speedo, as its new senior vice president and chief marketing officer. Though Gap made comments indicating it would be moving away from a corporate structure that emphasized CMO roles, Brommers’ hiring could mean anything from a rethinking of long-term strategy to simply an opportunity to acquire talent that Gap Global President Jeff Kirwan could not afford to pass up.

“As we remain focused on delivering optimistic and elevated American style, it’s our goal to continue telling engaging and emotional stories that are uniquely Gap,” Kirwan said in a statement provided to AdAge. “Craig is known for being a passionate and innovative marketer, who is not afraid to take risks and push boundaries.”

Brommers’ recent experience in the evolving fashion industry might be exactly what the identity-bereft Gap needs. AdAge explained that Brommers first rose to fame with a marketing plan for a Speedo line that scored an endorsement from Olympian Michael Phelps. Brommers followed up that success with a cross-channel campaign that extended Abercrombie & Fitch’s social media impact via partnerships with key influencers on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and other platforms.

“I am thrilled to be joining one of the most iconic, American retail brands in the world,” Brommers said in a statement to AdAge.

Brommers certainly has his work cut out for him. Gap does not employ an in-house marketing department, nor does it have a single agency it regularly works with, potentially creating a steep learning curve as Brommers assembles the materials for Gap’s marketing revolution.