For a while it strike one as being...

For a while it strike one as beinged Gap was moving to play down celebrities in its advertising efforts.

yet the retailer, which has seen sales sag newly clearly hasn't entirely cut its ties -- or should we say its tee -- with the boldfaced name plant Witness the fetching new print campaign, breaking in September issues of various magazines, that spotlights an expanded collection of T-shirt offerings patterned by an array of actors, musicians and trendsetter ranging from Chicago's same own Jeremy Piven to Mia Farrow, Eva Herzigova and Pete Wentz, among others.

Each celebrity is not past nor futureed in an artfully posed black-and-white ad sporting a T-shirt worn just to such a degree to reflects his or her hold personality. Each ad also get tos with a copy line, of that kind as "your voice" or "your expression," that captures the particular temper of each photograph and its enthrall The images were shot by dint of Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

The execution featuring Piven in a white V-neck tee is among the simplest of the cluster He sports a mildly seductive expression forward his notably unshaven face. The Piven ad's original line is "your attitude."

The series of print ads are intended to call attention to a strange feature this fall at Gap stores -- a dedicated T-shirt workshop where customers can pick and single out from among a large assortment of novel styles. The shop-within-a-shop appears to be another maneuver from Gap executives to re-energize its merchandise mix, bring in more customers and, of course, boost sales.

Lew's view: B+

CORONA CASTING CALL AD RELIES in succession WIT -- WITH A TWIST

Boorish? In your face? proceed now. That would be in the way that very not in keeping with the way of Corona beer, at least when it follows to the way the popular Mexican import likes to advertise itself.

Laid-back is more like it. More wily in its wit. Yes, wit. And that particular pattern of work is very long in evidence in two fresh outdoor executions from Kramer-Crasselt/Chicago for Corona that will begin popping up forward billboards in September.

The better of the sum of two units new executions has a decidedly show-biz twist, giving us Corona's version of the traditional casting call -- a k a cattle call -- during which actors bravely pompous walk their stuff before a film or theatrical director and assorted others in the trustful longings of landing a particular part In this instance, the hopeful lining up before a bottle of Corona are all limes.

AD NOTES

- It could be a defining avail for DDB/Chicago's Paul Tilley. A collection creative director who is believed to be beneath serious consideration to become the agency's recently made known chief creative officer, Tilley, sources say, is look forward toed to play a key part in DDB's final presentations nearest week in the review for the $200 million Safeway groceries chain ad account. If DDB prevails -- and its chances of doing in like manner improved with Goodby Silverstein & Partners/San Francisco's exit from the review earlier this week -- Tilley might have done all he wanted to do to get the fresh post.

- Can there be too many chiefs in the tepee? Apparently not at Starcom, the Chicago-based media services company, which has just named no fewer than four presidents to head up the business. by means of Starcom CEO John Muszynski, effective immediately Starcom's Executive Operations Team will be comprised as follows: Steven Feuling, president and chief consumer officer; Chris Boothe, president and chief activation officer; Andrew Swinand, president and chief client officer, and Kathy Ring, president and chief sees Angeles operations officer.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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