It is an anxious week for Americans who wait for the results of the United States’ Presidential elections 2020 as counting of votes continue. The too close to call votes between the Republican and Democrat party has made the election even more daunting than expected. President Donald Trump from the Republican party and his supporters asked to stop the count while Democrats have maintained that every single vote needs to be counted.
Amid these polarised times, clothing brand GAP has come up with a unique hoodie that seeks to unite both Red Republicans and Blue Democrats. In a now deleted tweet, GAP had posted a picture of a sweatshirt that was half blue and half red. The brand promoted their new product saying, “The one thing we know, is that together, we can move forward.”
The tweet came at a time when Trump supporters, some of them who carried arms, tried to disrupt the vote counting process in states like Arizona, Michiganand Nebraska. The tweet had to be deleted at a sensitive time like this as netizens unleashed their sarcasm.
In a sarcastic tweet, one user expressed his gratitude to the brand and said that he will wear the sweatshirt on the battlefield to symbolize how they should all be getting along better.
thanks @gap i’m gonna wear this on the battlefield in the civil war to symbolize how we should all be getting along better pic.twitter.com/vWUbo8aSzb
— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) November 4, 2020
Another user said, “This tweet needs to fall back into the gap.”
This tweet needs to fall back into the gap.
— Peter Nygaard (@RetepAdam) November 4, 2020
The ill-timing of Gap’s product launch was criticised by many people who urged the brand to at least “read the room”.
— Mitch Gerads (@MitchGerads) November 4, 2020
While some netizens who are very particular about alignments and placements could not stand the A in the GAP not aligned properly. “Would it kill you to make the a’s line up,” asked Katie Nolan, a podcast host. Another user said, “Bro y’all couldn’t even get the A aligned properly. Bozos”
Bro y’all couldn’t even get the A aligned properly. Bozos
— Unprofessional Dead Person (@owenpffer) November 4, 2020
would it kill you to make the a’s line up
— Katie Nolan (@katienolan) November 4, 2020
With all the criticism that came its way for the tweet, the brand decided to delete the tweet.
Speaking to The New York Times, Gap said that the sweatshirt was not actually for sale. The brand told the paper that their intention of the social media post, which featured a red and blue hoodie, was to show the power of unity.
I find it beautiful that we can all take a break from this anxious hellscape to come together and hate the Gap sweatshirt.
— Lauren Alexis Fisher (@LaurenAlexis) November 4, 2020
yay we can just walk sideways depending on the city we’re in https://t.co/W8qyxfb05s
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) November 4, 2020
Cool of the Gap to give us a sweatshirt that says "I am too sheltered by my privilege to see what's at stake here"
— Gabi Moskowitz (@gabimoskowitz) November 4, 2020
It was just too soon for this message. Gap said that they "remain optimistic that the US will come together to drive positive change for all."