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Old Navy Apparel Inc.
Type	Subsidiary of Gap Inc.
Founded	1994
Headquarters	San Francisco, California
Industry	Retail
Products	Family fashion and accessories
Slogan	Only You, Only Old Navy
Website	oldnavy.com

Old Navy is a brand of clothing and chain of stores owned by Gap Inc.. Old Navy's corporate operations are within Gap in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco. Gap, Inc. was run by President and CEO Paul Pressler from September 2002 - January 22, 2007. Robert J. Fisher served as Interim Chief Executive Officer commencing January 22, 2007.^[1] Glen Murphy is the current CEO of Gap, Inc. The President of Old Navy is Dawn Robertson.

Contents 1 History 2 Concept 3 Advertisement campaigns 4 References 5 External links

Old Navy opened its first stores in Colma, San Leandro and Pittsburg in Northern California in 1994^[2]. These first three stores were originally constructed as Gap Warehouse stores^[clarify]. The size and scale of the stores were larger and more diverse than any stores opened by the company before. Within the first year of existence, Old Navy opened 57 stores. As of 2007, Old Navy has more than 1,000 stores in the United States and Canada^[3]. The largest Old Navy stores are its flagship stores, located in New York City, the Mall of America, Seattle, Chicago, and San Francisco^[4]. The largest of these is located on Market Street in San Francisco.

In 1994, the Founder of Gap, Inc. and the CEO were visiting Paris, France and came upon a place distinctly named Old Navy and it struck a chord with them. (The Old Navy official site says, "Old Navy was named after a bar in Paris."^[5]) A branding consultant two weeks before the trip abroad had presented them with the name 'Elevator'. The concept name was received with mixed reviews. It has been said that the name was chosen because the stores were to imitate the look and feel of a traditional military surplus store. While this motif was quickly dropped, many stores retain a warehouse-like/urban decor and the name Old Navy stuck.

The online store, oldnavy.com, launched operations in 2000. There is always a $5 shipping fee, no matter how much you purchase online at oldnavy.com

In 1999, Old Navy expanded its franchise to 6 locations in Puerto Rico. In 2001, Old Navy opened 12 stores in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Furthermore, in 2004, 7 stores were opened in the province of Quebec (including 6 in the Montreal Area).

Old Navy's target market largely consists of fashion oriented yet price conscious teens to adults. The clothing is more affordable than its other Gap Inc. counterparts. Old Navy's stores contain specialized sections for infants, boys, girls, men, and women. Most recently, Old Navy launched a re-worked line of denim for women sizes 0 to 20. In addition to clothing, Old Navy also sells a variety of accessories such as shoes, handbags, toys, hats, and sunglasses, along with a line of clothing and toys for dogs.

For many years Old Navy has attempted to put out a product a year that focuses on attempting to catch on, some more successful than others. The products that stand out are the Tech Vest and the Performance Fleece.

Flagship stores also have "collection" business clothes for women, plus size and maternity sections. As of summer 2007 however, plus-size clothing is only available online and has been pulled from all stores due to low sales.^{[citation needed]} Online sales have proceeded to flourish after being offered exclusively online. Previously, Old Navy attempted to launch a bath and body line, called ONbody, but dropped the effort after only a few months.^{[citation needed]}

Old Navy informally bills itself as an all-American brand. The chain releases a shirt every summer emblazoned with an American flag. Each year's shirt features a slightly altered flag graphic with the year listed underneath. Alternatively, they also offer shirts with the Puerto Rican flag on them. In its Canadian stores, a similar shirt with the Canadian flag is sold.

Within the next five years, Old Navy plans to renovate all their US stores. The new Old Navy will have hardwood floors, natural lighting, and a garden inside the store. Old Navy hopes to shed its warehouse-like atmosphere and induce a more comfortable, natural shopping experience.^{[citation needed]}

Starting late September 2007, Old Navy offers Old Navy Visa cards. Unlike the regular ON credit card, these cards can be used anywhere but still bear the Old Navy logo on the front. Customers get 5% cash back on purchases at any Gap Inc. store (Gap, Baby Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy), and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The previous "Stuff 'n Save" promotions and the 10% off your first purchase are still included.

Effective October 1st, Todd Oldham became Old Navy's creative director.

The most notable aspect of Old Navy's television advertisements are their kitschy, satirical and tone toward a retro time period, vaguely between 1940 and 1960. In sharp contrast to the Gap's advertisements, Old Navy's feature chipper family members sporting their clothing line while engaging in wholesome family activities, such as barbecuing. A common tagline used in their campaigns is " [insert clothing article here] for the whole family!"

Old Navy is also known for its advertising campaigns featuring celebrities such as Molly Sims, Morgan Fairchild, Joan Collins, Fran Drescher, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Kristin Chenoweth, The Village People, Tim Armbruster and Lil' Kim. Another popular spokesperson was former Vogue editor Carrie Donovan, who often appeared in ads with company "spokesdog," Magic. According to Gap Inc., Magic, an Airedale terrier mix, was rescued from the streets of San Jose. Magic remains an informal mascot of the company, though Donovan has since died.

Old Navy started a contest in June 2006 to choose a new mascot dog to replace Magic through a nationwide search contest. Paco, a mixed breed male from Venice Beach, California, was announced as the new Old Navy mascot on July 23, 2006.

Jeffersons stars Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley appeared in a number of Old Navy television commercials in the late 1990s and early 2000s until Sanford died.

The soundtracks played at Old Navy feature up-beat, modern music. Songs are mostly current, include remixes and indie beats, as well as upbeat pop and R&B/Hip Hop records.

1. ^ United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Form 8-K [1]
2. ^ http://www.oldnavy.com/customerService/info.do?cid=3337
3. ^ Gap Inc. Store Count, as of August 4, 2007 [2]
4. ^ http://www.oldnavy.com/customerService/info.do?cid=3334
5. ^ Old Navy branding information[3]

This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. Please include more appropriate citations from reliable sources.

• Official website
• Gap Inc. - Parent company website