It’s one thing to find a job and a whole other thing to work at a place where you feel respected, appreciated and understood. Marketing professional Melsha Key found that sweet spot with Gap Inc.

“I’ve had the opportunity to be seen, to be heard, to feel like I have a seat at the table and to feel valued,” she says.

As a marketing manager at Banana Republic, Key creates strategies and campaigns to roll out customer products and programs.

The project she’s most proud of is the integrated rewards program the company launched in 2021. It allows customers to rack up and redeem points when they shop across the four Gap Inc. brands: Old Navy, Gap, Athleta and Banana Republic. 

“This is a win for the customer because they can deepen their relationships. But also it’s a win for our company because we learn more about the customer and the customer’s journey, therefore meeting our business objectives: increasing spend, increasing frequency and building those lifetime loyalists.”

In addition to being intentional about cultivating the shopping experience, Key says Gap Inc. focuses on designing products with women like her in mind. One example is Banana Republic’s True Hues, a collection that features nude apparel in 11 shades.

“This was a product where I didn’t feel like an afterthought. I knew that I was thought about in the creation of the project,” she says. “It gave everyone an opportunity to find a shade that was very close to their own. So, to me, that was very valuable.”

Her role also enables her to have a say in how we’re represented in marketing materials and within the company. “I make sure that the campaigns that I manage are diverse, so I’m always looking to make sure there is a model that looks close to me, whether it’s a female or male.”

She continues: “Whenever there’s a job opening, I am going to my community and telling them, ‘You need to apply for this role’ because I want more people to be able to have the opportunity to go [for] the roles that I know that they can do.’”

Make a real impact in your career at Gap Inc. 

This editorial is brought to you in partnership with Gap, Inc.