Gap Unveils its North American Casting Call Finalists - Four Canadian Finalists

Let the Voting Begin! Community to Choose the Next Faces of babyGap and GapKids

TORONTO, May 21, 2012 /CNW/ - After a coast-to-coast search to find the brightest babies and kids, Gap revealed the 20 finalists now competing to be the winners of its sixth annual North American Casting Call contest.

Starting today through May 25, residents of Canada and the U.S. will decide which four children - one girl and one boy for babyGap and one girl and one boy for GapKids - will be featured in a Gap marketing campaign this fall. People can vote once a day every day by visiting www.gap.com/castingcall,  Gap's Facebook page, or the Gap Casting Call app for iPhone and Android.

"As part of the submission process this year, we asked parents to tell us how their child brightens up the world and we were moved by their thoughtful and heartfelt responses," said Art Peck, president of Gap North America. "While it was extremely difficult to narrow down the entries, the 20 finalists we selected embody the optimistic spirit of Gap and we're eager to see who voters choose to represent us this fall."

In addition to being featured in a Gap marketing campaign, each winner will receive a $1,000 Gap GiftCard and a $10,000 grant in their name from Gap to Communities In Schools, a non-profit organization that surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. The winners will be announced on or around July 30, 2012.

Meet the Finalists
Earlier this month, all 20 finalists, including children from Waterdown and Barrie, Ontario, Richmond, British Columbia and Red Deer, Alberta, got a taste of the spotlight when they were flown to Los Angeles to participate in an official photo shoot. Dressed in iconic back-to-school looks with an emphasis on 1969 denim, each finalist was photographed by world-renowned child photographer, Stefano Azario. Voters can check out the photos and behind-the-scenes footage from the photo shoot at gap.com/castingcall.

Girls:

Taylor, 6, Barrie, Ontario
Taylor is an exceptional little girl. Born with a hand abnormality, she sees that everyone has their differences and accepts people for who they are. Taylor is always smiling and she's kind and friendly toward others.

Lynisha, 8, Red Deer, Alberta
Lynisha is a free spirit with the most humble heart. She's demonstrated her love for the world by raising money for the Red Cross to assist with drought relief in the Horn of Africa.

Katarina, 8, Richmond, British Columbia
Katarina is full of smiles, laughter and joy - and that's how she brightens up the day! She's a happy child who simply loves being a kid. Katarina cares a lot about people and her mission is to help the less fortunate.

Talia, 5, Fort Worth, TX
Talia is an extremely charismatic, funny and smart little girl. Her personality radiates warmth and her smile evokes so much happiness from everyone around her.

Lyric, 12, Santa Clarita, CA
Lyric goes with her grandmother every week to deliver warm food to the elderly through Meals on Wheels. She's thoughtful, kind and cares deeply about how others feel. She's a very special little girl.

Boys:

Liam, 11, Waterdown, Ontario
Liam's heart has always been full of love and joy. His smile and sweet words brighten up any room! He recently started growing out his hair to donate to cancer patients.

Dylan, 6, Everett, WA
Dylan puts a smile on the face of everyone he encounters! He narrates his life with songs he makes up and spontaneously breaks out his dance moves in the middle of the grocery store. He's always friendly and has a very warm personality.

Levi, 9, Santa Clara, CA
Levi may be a typical boy on the football field, but he wears his heart on his sleeve. And while he can rock the latest fashion trends, he also knows that it's his kind attitude toward others that really rocks.

Nate, 9, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Nate loves cars and can rattle off facts about any kind of car. In fact, his first word was car! Besides his love of cars, Nate is one of the most kind-hearted, loving and happy kids in the world.

Brandon, 11, New York, NY
Brandon brightens up the world with his huge smile, enthusiasm and outgoing personality! He loves to help animals and put on "runway" shows, where he models his favorite looks for his friends and family.

Baby Girls:

Harper, 1, Attleboro, MA
Harper's mom feels like she's the luckiest person to have Harper in her life. Harper's smile can brighten up any day and she brings incredible joy to everyone around her. She truly is the light of her parents' lives!

Keira, 2, New York, NY
Keira is an active, energetic and lovely girl. She has very broad interests and is curious about the world around her. She has a lot of love inside her, a good sense of humor and brings laughter and joy to those around her. She is full of character!

Rue, 2, Napa, CA
Rue undoubtedly brightens the lives of anyone she meets. Her positive energy is contagious and she thinks every day is "a beautiful day!" And while all parents say it, Rue's parents truly believe they are the luckiest parents in the world!

Sofia, 2, Boynton Beach, FL
Sofia's star shines brightly, revealing her sweet innocence. Whether she's sharing her cookies, jumping in puddles, or rocking her baby doll to sleep, her eyes are always smiling! She has a kind, gentle spirit and a special charm that embraces all who know and love her.

Layla, 3, Knoxville, TN
Layla brightens every day with her loving spirit and inspires everyone around her to live and love life. She is kind to people and shows sincere concern when there is need. She serves as a ray of hope, inspiring people to become more accepting of others.

Baby Boys:

Aidan, 2, Los Angeles, CA
Aidan is an absolute joy! He loves to play in the dirt and sand - especially with his toy cars and trucks. He loves the outdoors, whether it's his own backyard, the mountains or the beach. He's always ready for an adventure and is eager to explore nature.

Robbie, 2, College Station, TX
Robbie is kind, sweet, smart and caring. His dimples light up a room from a mile away. At two years-old, he is always curious, active and playful. He embodies everything that childhood should be about.

Jason, 2, Sun Valley, CA
Jason can make anyone smile within a second of meeting them. He's very friendly and smart and he loves books, playing cars and making new friends at the park. He also loves his two pet dogs.

Sammy, 3, Miami, FL
Every morning, Sammy climbs into his parents' bed at 6:00 a.m. for an hour of snuggling. Just as the sun is peeking through the curtains, he says "Wake up! It's a sunny day. Let's have pancakes!" It's the best way to start the day!

Carter, 4, Naperville, IL
As the youngest child, Carter is the "baby" of his family. He embraces this role by being a sweet little boy and sharing his joyful spirit with everyone around him. He's always giving hugs to everyone he meets and will stop in the middle of playing to tell someone he loves them!

About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading global specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, children, and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, and Athleta brands. Fiscal year 2011 net sales were $14.5 billion. Gap Inc. products are available for purchase in over 90 countries worldwide through about 3,000 company-operated stores, about 200 franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.

Image with caption: "Taylor, 6, Barrie, Ontario (CNW Group/Gap Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120521_C9366_PHOTO_EN_13965.jpg

Image with caption: "Lynisha, 8, Red Deer, Alberta (CNW Group/Gap Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120521_C9366_PHOTO_EN_13966.jpg

Image with caption: "Katarina, 8, Richmond, British Columbia (CNW Group/Gap Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120521_C9366_PHOTO_EN_13967.jpg

Image with caption: "Liam, 11, Waterdown, Ontario (CNW Group/Gap Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120521_C9366_PHOTO_EN_13968.jpg

Video with caption: "Taylor, 6, Barrie, Ontario". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120521_C9366_VIDEO_EN_13970.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120521_C9366_PHOTO_EN_13970.jpg&clientName=Gap%20Canada&caption=Taylor%2C%206%2C%20Barrie%2C%20Ontario&title=GAP%20CANADA%20%2D%20Gap%20Canadian%20Casting%20Call%20Finalists&headline=Gap%20Unveils%20its%20North%20American%20Casting%20Call%20Finalists%20%2D%20Four%20Canadian%20Finalists

Video with caption: "Lynisha, 8, Red Deer, Alberta". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120521_C9366_VIDEO_EN_13971.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120521_C9366_PHOTO_EN_13971.jpg&clientName=Gap%20Canada&caption=Lynisha%2C%208%2C%20Red%20Deer%2C%20Alberta&title=GAP%20CANADA%20%2D%20Gap%20Canadian%20Casting%20Call%20Finalists&headline=Gap%20Unveils%20its%20North%20American%20Casting%20Call%20Finalists%20%2D%20Four%20Canadian%20Finalists

Video with caption: "Katarina, 8, Richmond, British Columbia". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120521_C9366_VIDEO_EN_13969.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120521_C9366_PHOTO_EN_13969.jpg&clientName=Gap%20Canada&caption=Katarina%2C%208%2C%20Richmond%2C%20British%20Columbia&title=GAP%20CANADA%20%2D%20Gap%20Canadian%20Casting%20Call%20Finalists&headline=Gap%20Unveils%20its%20North%20American%20Casting%20Call%20Finalists%20%2D%20Four%20Canadian%20Finalists

Video with caption: "Liam, 11, Waterdown, Ontario". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120521_C9366_VIDEO_EN_13972.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120521_C9366_PHOTO_EN_13972.jpg&clientName=Gap%20Canada&caption=Liam%2C%2011%2C%20Waterdown%2C%20Ontario&title=GAP%20CANADA%20%2D%20Gap%20Canadian%20Casting%20Call%20Finalists&headline=Gap%20Unveils%20its%20North%20American%20Casting%20Call%20Finalists%20%2D%20Four%20Canadian%20Finalists

Lynisha, 8, Red Deer, Alberta (CNW Group/Gap Canada)

Katarina, 8, Richmond, British Columbia (CNW Group/Gap Canada)

Liam, 11, Waterdown, Ontario (CNW Group/Gap Canada)

For further information:

Victoria Kirk
Gap PR
416.558.4507
[e-mail]