Dec 13, 2025
"Milkshake" Brings Diversity-Driven Growth to the Brand Yard
Why the Gap’s Future-Proof Campaign Drove Exponential Growth
The U.S. is projected to become “minority white” by 2045, meaning non-Hispanic whites will make up less than 50% of the population (Brookings Institution).
This demographic shift isn’t a distant abstraction; it’s a market reality already shaping brands today. Companies that embrace multicultural audiences now aren’t just doing the right thing; they’re future-proofing their brands by leveraging diversity as a growth engine that will continue to deliver ahead of competitors in the years to come.
The challenge America’s demographic shift presents to brands is already becoming evident, as illustrated by several high-profile 2025 brand campaigns from Cracker Barrel, American Eagle Outfitters, and the Gap. While each deserves its own deep dive, only one brand was successful: the Gap. Their inclusive approach to denim reinvigorated the brand’s cultural relevance, synthesizing music with relatable fashion while boldly embracing diversity. The resulting “Milkshake” spot starring Katseye served as the perfect counter to American Eagle’s controversial Sydney Sweeney ad, which positioned their denim as the fabric of exclusion and genetic superiority. So much so, “Milkshake” went viral in less than 24 hours and outperformed every other Gap campaign in 2025 by a factor of 100.
I saw this firsthand during my tenure leading brand strategy at the California Museum from 2010 to 2021. In 2014, California's population became a Latinx-majority. At the time, our brand system was misaligned with the population it served because our programming lacked proportionate representation of Latinx experiences and stories.
Rather than treating this as a marketing gap, I approached the disconnect as an architectural flaw and addressed it through structural inclusion by launching an annual Día de Los Muertos program as a sustainable expression in the institution’s bigger brand ecosystem. Latinx community members were invited to help steer and develop the programming authentically, from their own perspectives and with cultural authenticity, elevating it beyond our staff's interpretation or appropriation of their cultural tradition.
As a result, our Día de Los Muertos program and its supporting promotions were more relevant and resonant with the Latinx community. It was also a significant win for the museum, evolving our brand system by:
Leveraging diversity as a brand-system-led growth engine by connecting with Latinx audiences who were often overlooked by cultural institutions in 2014.
Unlocking new, recurring revenue streams from event ticket sales, exhibition admission, store sales, and long-term loyalty through membership and sponsorships.
Establishing long-term trust and loyalty with Latinx audiences ahead of our competitors, creating a winning brand strategy for us as challengers.
Sustaining YoY growth by becoming the institution’s most attended annual public program and an ongoing relationship with Latinx audiences in line with the museum’s mission to educate and inspire visitors through stories from diverse perspectives commonly not told.
Beyond this example, I have dozens more experiences building brand architecture systems with communities that played critical roles in California’s diverse history. I worked closely with Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, and many others to develop effective brand systems that supported them authentically and drove bottom line success for the institution.
Giving diverse cultures a seat at the museum table and inviting them to tell their stories in their own voices gave us a way to tell history more accurately and leverage diversity as a brand growth engine, achieving outsized results with limited resources. If you need more proof, the research is clear:
Inclusive brand drives performance: +3.5% short-term sales, +16% long-term sales, 62% more likely to be first choice, +15% greater loyalty (Sustainable Brands).
Multicultural brand strategy builds loyalty: Consumers are 4.5x more likely to support brands that commit to cultural inclusion (Multicultural Marketing Resources).
DEI as a sustainable growth lever: When integrated into core strategy, DEI drives brand innovation, resilience, and long-term value (MIT Sloan).
Bottom line, “Milkshake” proves that inclusive brand architecture is more than a nice value; it is a winning strategy for brand systems that sustain long-term loyalty and growth. By treating diversity as a structural brand principle instead of a campaign variable, the Gap experienced a brand rebirth with real impact.