When advertising transcends commerce, it becomes culture. From Gap’s KATSEYE campaign to India’s Amul and Cadbury classics, the power lies in representation, emotion and belonging — reminding us that the most persuasive brands don’t just sell products, they tell human stories that unite

When Gap dropped its “Better in Denim” campaign with KATSEYE earlier this year, it felt less like an ad and more like a cultural phenomenon. A brand that had slipped off the radar suddenly pulled the world back in with six women, a riot of denim and colour, and choreography that made you want to get up and move. But beyond the surface, something deeper was happening: this wasn’t just about jeans. It was about who gets seen, how they’re seen, and what that visibility means in a world where culture itself is a form of power.

Advertising has always been about symbols. Every choice, casting, colour palette, lighting, posture, is a loaded message. Who is front and centre? Who is allowed to take up space? KATSEYE, a group built out of multiple countries and cultures, gave Gap the perfect answer. Put simply, they looked like the world. Each member styled in denim but in her own way, dancing not with forced precision but with joy. It was a visual declaration: identity is strength, diversity is beautiful, and this brand wants to be the backdrop to that celebration.

Colour itself carried weight here. Denim’s deep indigo has long symbolised utility, toughness and working-class authenticity. But paired with KATSEYE’s choreography and kaleidoscopic staging, it transformed into a metaphor for universality. The backdrop’s bursts of vibrancy, the way lighting picked........

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