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Gap Pulls 'Manifest Destiny' T-Shirt From Shelves After Social Media OutcryABC News (blog)When the item first went on sale about a month ago as part of Gap's GQ collection, people quickly took to social media, expressing their outrage.
Marty Note
Wow, there is enough retail shame to go around here. Mostly there is a statement about how social media marketing must be considered in everything any company does, and STORY is everything. Here is a list of the retail shame the gap has to wear on this one:
* Duh, pick a better, less loaded phrase.
* Have a better backstory or pick a better phrase.
* Whatever merchandise is in your store needs a story.
* Stories HATE a vacuum, so TELL YOUR STORY.
* Don't pull the shirt, send profits to Native American causes, or...
* Pull it but create a new shirt in cooperation with Native Americans.
Great example of the power of NO STORY. Here is the new law. Create a complete backstory or someone else will create a story for you. The story is the thing. Now the Gap should do something with Native American leaders to show they aren't completely clueless.
Hello, retailers who compete with the gap (and you know who you are) should be NewsJacking this mistake by working with Native American leaders to develop a great story of support, character and courage. We can't undo the mistakes of the past, but we can recognize and celebrate a culture that exerts more influence than it gets credit for (by half).
