Gap holiday ad campaign is star studded

Posted Nov 15 via Celebitchy Nov 15, 08

Jennifer Hudson looking radiant in red. Photo from Gap.

With this year's holiday shopping season being forecasted as the worst ever due to the abysmal economy, clothing giant Gap is looking to inject some excitement by featuring a star-studded holiday ad campaign. Celebs like Jennifer Hudson (above), Mary Louise Parker and Jason Batement donned Gap garments and posed for the company's Christmas catalog. The TV spots will feature celebrities such as 'Mad Men' star Jon Hamm Christmas caroling. But will the investment pay off?

Oh, advertising industry, you know us so well! Not only is Chuck Bass currently making kissy-faces in a K Swiss ad, but Don Draper, the most dapper man ever to walk across the small screen, is modeling for the Gap. Actually, the strange thing about the ad is that it's most definitely not a picture of Don Draper, fictional character who lives in the 1960s, but Jon Hamm, actor who plays Draper on Mad Men in the year 2008. Hamm beams at the camera with both a cozy scarf and a blond woman (his girlfriend, Jennifer Westfeldt) wrapped around his neck. He does not look like a man concealing a terrible secret, and as such, we barely recognized him.

Along with the Jon Hamm ad, the Gap has also released their annual Christmas commercials. This time they're online only, but the format'odd pairings of celebrities belting out Christmas carols'remains the same. If the sight of Don Draper wearing an uncomplicated puppy-dog grin and a sporty sweater doesn't confuse you, wait till you see Flo Rida sing 'Jingle Bells.'

[From Racked]

The ads are fun and beautifully shot, but I don't know if anything will inspire shoppers to spend a lot of money this year. Things are tough all over.

Photos are of Mary Louise Parker, Milla Jovovich and daughter Ever, Jason Bateman and daughter Francecsa, Rainn Wilson and SNL's Jason Sudeikis, Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers, and Will Forte. Also shown are actors Cam Gigandet and Ben Barnes and models Missy Rayder, Frankie Rayder, and Anja Rubnik. Thanks to The Gap.