Dance in Advertising: A Strategic Trend
A recent wave of dance-heavy advertisements, from Apple's AirPods 4 spot starring Pedro Pascal to Gap's campaigns with Young Miko, marks a strategic shift in marketing. Experts like Colleen Dunagan and Scott Foreman note that dance offers an escape from reality and enhances viewer engagement through kinesthetic response. Social media has fueled this trend, with brands embracing viral choreography and diverse representation. The Choreographers Guild has pushed for better credit for dance artists, though gaps remain. The trend shows no signs of fading.
Key facts
- Apple's AirPods 4 ad features Pedro Pascal and choreography by Tanisha Scott.
- Gap's recent ad stars Young Miko with 26 dancers and choreography by Zoï Tatopoulos.
- DoorDash Canada ran campaigns with choreographers Ryan Heffington and Chris Grant.
- Super Bowl 2025 ads included Channing Tatum for STōK Cold Brew and an AI-generated robot for Svedka Vodka.
- Dance in ads dates back to 1948 with Lucky Strike's stop-motion animation.
- Colleen Dunagan notes a wave starting around 2019, driven by social media and global events.
- The Choreographers Guild has advocated for better credits since 2022.
- Robbie Blue choreographed Gap's fall 2025 ad with KATSEYE.
Entities
Artists
- Pedro Pascal
- Sam i
- Tanisha Scott
- Spike Jonze
- Young Miko
- Zoï Tatopoulos
- Ryan Heffington
- Chris Grant
- Channing Tatum
- Colleen Dunagan
- Scott Foreman
- Pamela Krayenbuhl
- Randi 'Rascal' Freitas
- Robbie Blue
- Parris Goebel
- Misty Copeland
- Kyle Abraham
- Tamara Rojo
Institutions
- Apple
- Gap
- DoorDash Canada
- STōK Cold Brew
- Svedka Vodka
- Lucky Strike
- Under Armour
- Rag & Bone
- Lexus
- Copacino Fujikado
- University of Washington, Tacoma
- Choreographers Guild
- KATSEYE
Locations
- Seattle
- United States
- Canada