Maybelline. crocs. Marc Jacobs. These are some of the brands that have recently turned to the microdrama format to spin yarns while also, naturally, advertising their wares. And now, Banana Republic can be added to that list.
The Gap-owned brand debuts its first scripted debut episode microdrama on wednesday hollywood reporter Have you learnt. Agency Stars adults And big mistakes Actor Jack Innanen stars as four different employees at an old-school, full-service travel agency called Travel & Tours, which is shaken up when a corporate suit (played by Innanen) big mistakes costar Taylor Ortega) arrives to modernize it. Milo plays an intern at the Tucker-Meyer Agency.
Soapy, sensual and steamy romance stories may have made the microdrama format popular globally, but its first episode Agency The series is set up as an office comedy, with quick cuts and wink-wink lines and scenes. Innan’s characters in the five-episode series include a manager lacking self-confidence, an arrogant cruise specialist, an adventure expert who is deeply afraid of adventure and a Francophile who hasn’t left American soil since the late ’90s. As one might expect, each of their characters are wearing Banana Republic clothing.
Banana Republic chief marketing officer Meena Anwari said the brand decided to try this format to honor its “storytelling heritage”. Banana Republic Travel & Safari Clothing Company, as the company was initially named, was the brainchild of a journalist and newspaper illustrator (founders Mel and Patricia Ziegler) in 1978, whose early catalogs combined travel stories with apparel for sale.
“We saw this as a really interesting opportunity and way to highlight the nostalgia of the brand that people know and love and introduce the brand to a new audience through this TikTok series, while also bringing some humor and storytelling to it,” Anwari said.
Anwari remained tight-lipped about whether the brand will continue to invest in microseries or more entertainment going forward, saying that executives want to see how audiences connect with this first effort. But AgencyAt the very least, it’s part of a larger trend as Banana Republic’s parent company, Gap, Inc. has recently invested in building an entertainment infrastructure amid pressure for “fashiontainment”. Earlier this year the company appointed former Paramount executive Pam Kauffman as its chief entertainment officer and fellow Paramount alumnus Lourdes Arocho as head of licensing.
production company behind AgencyBanana Republic Productions, launched earlier this year when the label collaborated with the Explorers Club of New York on a short documentary about notable figures in science and exploration.
“When we look at Gap Inc.’s fashiontainment platform, it’s been a big area of focus for the overall company,” Anvari said. “Especially for bananas, it’s about going back to our roots of DNA and heritage and storytelling.” Entertainment is particularly valuable for marketing, Anveri said, because it helps keep a brand top of mind for consumers and encourages them to consider it when making purchasing decisions.
AgencyWhich is tailored specifically for the TikTok audience, but will be available on multiple social channels, releasing weekly episodes (and some behind-the-scenes content).
Watch the beginning of the series below.