Gap, Inc. Expands Its Creator Advocacy and Affiliate Program to Employees

Gap, Inc.

Gap announced that it’s expanding its creator advocacy program to employees, opening it up to employees across its offices, stores, and distribution centers for its portfolio of brands, including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta.

Employees can apply to join the program, where selected participants will unlock tools to share content, access content opportunities, and have the potential to earn commissions through affiliate sales. There are also guidelines around transparency, disclosures, and brand standards.

The program initially launched in October 2025 and has generated nearly 30,000 unique posts that have reached 154 million users.

Why Employee Creator Programs Are Growing

Employee creator programs have been gaining momentum, especially following news that TikTok and Starbucks are piloting a program that allows baristas to earn money for creating content on the brand’s behalf through an ad revenue-sharing model.

More companies are recognizing that some of the best people to tell their story are the employees who already understand their products, services, and culture firsthand. That knowledge is proving to be impactful, too. Forty percent of consumers say they discover a product or service through employee content, with that number rising to 61% among Gen Z consumers. Companies such as Ulta Beauty, which has an internal ambassador program featuring in-store associates, have also seen content from employees outperform content from external creator partners.

The Biggest Challenge: How to Compensate Employee Creators

While there is little debate that brands should leverage employees as creators and influencers, compensation remains a bigger question. Some argue employees should create content because it benefits the companies they work for, but content creation is rarely part of their job descriptions. While not every company can offer monetary compensation, brands should consider how to provide value to employee creators if they want these programs to succeed long term.