Gap's Charity FEED USA Bag Only Feeds Bad Press
Fresh off their logo flip-flop, the management team at Gap (GPS) steps squarely into a bigger pile of sartorial scheiss. Two of the five bags Gap designed to sell as part of an anti-hunger campaign in collaboration with FEED USA are actually made in China â€"- despite flashy patriotic ads and labels to the contrary.
Still believe the logo change was a fiasco? Think again.
I've argued before that the only ones who really cared about the switch were professional marketers and designers. Shoppers don't stop buying product because the company changes the font on its shingle. And Gap made some smart moves to improve its apparel assortment this year.
On the other hand, shoppers take corporate responsibility very seriously. According to The Hartman Group's latest report on sustainability, more than 88 percent of consumers surveyed said they engage in what the researchers described as sustainable behavior. That means they're looking to buy from companies working for social and environmental improvements. Especially during the recession.
Hartman Group's study shows that consumers are looking more closely at how and by whom goods are manufactured, packaging, certification, messaging and communications. So Gap scores points for touting the $5 donation made every time one of the FEED USA bags is purchased. Working with the FEED USA campaign founder and celebrity philanthropist Lauren Bush helped elevate the cause's recognition factor. Going heavy on the Americana motif and "Made in the USA" label could have sealed the deal, especially with the stated goal of improving "school food and nutrition education in America." Show me a parent who doesn't want to get government cheese and meat out of their kids' cafeteria. The campaign was practically fool-proof.
Until this dirty little secret was revealed by the good folks at Brandchannel after a photo (shown above) taken by Thomas Martin, via imgur showed a label to the contrary. To be fair, only two of the five styles of bag were supposed to be made in the States. On Gap's e-commerce site, the others state they're "imported." But still.
The bags in question are not currently available for sale with this (lame) explanation:
Oh, No!
Gap Online is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try back later or call 1.800.GAPSTYLE to place an order.
And Gap spokesperson Renate Geerlings issued this note to Styleite as a response/apology:
There are several bags in the FEED USA collection. The FEED USA Canvas Tote bag and the limited edition one-of-a-kind Bandana Bag are both made in the USA.
However, the FEED USA Denim Bucket bags are made in China, and should not have been connected to the made in the USA signs.
We apologize for any inaccurate messaging.
We are proud of our FEED USA partnership. Gap donates $5 toward FEED USA's school lunch program for each bag sold.
The photo on imgur has already accumulated over 180,000 views. Gawker, Yahoo, and Styleite are all running stories. And the Huffington Post took an informal poll indicating 75% of respondents said the mislabeling would lead them not to buy the bag.
In this case of misrepresentation, Gap's really laid its reputation on the line, and may find itself responsible for a more serious consequence: if people don't buy, they're not giving to the cause. That's just sad.
Image via imgur
Related: