GAP’s Commercials Are Proof That Gen Z Just Want to Dance

So, where did they go wrong?

In recent years, jeans have become more than just a fashion staple. From controversial adverts to streetwear memes, denim has become a prominent feature in online conversations. This week, GAP’s new ad starring Malcolm Todd and Inde Navarrette has proven that jeans are providing us with more discourse than comfort.

In the video, Malcolm Todd, known for his hit ‘Sweet Boy’, sings a cover of Robyn’s ‘Dancing on My Own’. ‘Obsession’ star Inde Navarrette joins him on set, and whilst it sounds like a dream linkup, the result is all rather lacklustre.

The video has raised a lot of questions - and rightfully so. Why is Malcolm Todd straight-ifying such an iconic queer anthem? Why does this feel so lazy compared to their recent ads? Unfortunately for GAP, they’ve set the bar high - and this time, they’ve missed it.

The use of ‘Dancing on My Own’ feels very rogue. When the track was released in 2010, it reached new heights of cultural significance, gaining a new audience through its feature in the HBO series ‘Girls’. The original track pairs electric, pulsing beats with melancholic lyricism, replicating the feeling of dancing through heartbreak that Todd’s cover fails to even scratch the surface of. The mellowness of the cover feels like an insult to Robyn’s songwriting. It would have made far more sense to keep its vivid tempo instead of sucking the life out of it. Why take the fun out of a song which makes you want to dance like no one’s watching?

Aside from the Callum Scott-ification of ‘Dancing on My Own’, the lack of choreography has disappointed many viewers. Compared to their previous campaigns with Jungle, KATSEYE and Troye Sivan, this one stands out like a sore thumb. When the KATSEYE campaign was released in August 2025, it felt like the world stopped spinning. All eyes were on the ad. The girls danced to Kelis’ ‘Milkshake’, and it racked up 80 million views on YouTube alone. That’s quite a difference compared to the half a million views on their newest campaign, with viewers taking to the comments to complain.

The casting of Inde Navarrette feels lazy within itself. What is she doing aside from serving face? If GAP are working towards a shift in their marketing, neglecting the physical aspect of their ads for more conventional modelling, then this would work. But there’s a lack of direction within the concept. The pop element fails to spark any cultural status or audience excitement, and Inde is just… there. It would have worked far better if they stuck to one concept: either using Gen Z’s new scream queen to promote the brand by just looking attractive, or sticking to their usual ‘popstar does a cool dance which people can copy at home’ style.

If this isn’t proof that people want to dance, I don’t know what is. In an era where life feels bleak due to constant doomscrolling and political conflict, it’s safe to say that people just want to have fun. There’s a lack of interactivity within this campaign, because there’s nothing for people to dance along to. Every campaign leading up to this one had a corresponding TikTok trend, where people would learn the dance and post it online. It’s simple things like a GAP advert that unite people more than you’d expect.