The Naked Truth of Abercrombie & Fitch
To what extent is it acceptable, in an age of shifting morals and the increasing acceptance of sex and violence in entertainment, to use sex to sell to consumers? Does this definition of acceptable shift when the consumers are underage children and teenagers? We all know that "sex sells", but deciding where to draw the line is becoming increasingly difficult as what is acceptable is redefined with each new generation. When does a company's tactics move from representing progressiveness to having crossed the line? Well in Abercrombie & Fitches case they continue to push the envelope.
A&F Quarterly was a magazine-catalog hybrid periodical sold by Abercrombie and Fitch from fall 1997 to December 2003. Circulation for the Quarterly averaged one million to 1.2 million during the late 1990s. The publication, released four times a year, featured articles about college life, photo essays by Bruce Weber, and advertisements for the company's clothing. In addition to this, the company's 280-page book included nude young adult models in highly suggestive poses, as well as articles on sex -- elements apparently intended to boost the clothing retailer's brand among college-age customers.
In December 2003, Abercrombie and Fitch decided to stop issuing its quarterly magazine, which it had published in addition to its catalogs since 1997. In a statement issued at the time of the recall, Abercrombie said, "While it has enjoyed success with the Quarterly over the years, the company believes it is time for new thinking and looks forward to unveiling an innovative and exciting campaign in the spring." "We just felt it was time to retire it and come back with something that has beautiful imagery and classical photos," said Hampton Carney, company spokesman, in the Times. "... But that doesn't mean they're going to go totally conservative and lose their nerve. According to CNN.com, Abercrombie said that the recall of the magazine was due to the need for counter space for a perfume, but opponents of the catalog are saying that it was in response to protests against its racy content, such as nude models and articles about sex. Criticism is not new to Abercrombie's marketing strategies; groups such as the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families, the American Decency Association, and the Focus on the Family organization have protested against its sexual content for several years, according to the New York Times.
This thought has been held on for far too long. In a consumer-driven society, advertisements invade the minds of every person who owns any piece of technology that can connect to the internet. Killbourne observes that “sex in advertising is pornographic because it dehumanizes and objectifies people, especially women,” (271). Advertising takes the societal ideology of women and stereotypes most kids grow up learning and play on the nerves of everyone trying to evoke a reaction out of potential customers, one that results in them buying products.
It is affecting their revenue and product quality. With the economy lowering throughout the past couple years, it has been a major reason that the earnings at Abercrombie & Fitch and their product quality has decreased so much, but that is not the only reason. As stated before, the company is more focused on their image. Their image has always been there main focus, which being able to obtain a good image within a company they need to have good quality products, which will also result in an increase of revenue. Therefore, Abercrombie & Fitch does not understand that. They believe that a image such as making sure their employees look the best, to the point of forcing them to wear exactly what they want will cover the overall image category in the marketing aspect of the
Abercrombie and Fitch is an American retailer who has been facing many outstanding issues and is at risk of disappearing. For the past two decades, the company has been facing severe controversy. Abercrombie and Fitch has been long criticized for lack diversity and inclusion. The company excludes minorities and plus-sized customers from its stores. This controversy has brought many financial problems to Abercrombie and Fitch.
The way young girls dress today can be, so say, disturbing to most people and many parents. In Lianne George article, “Why Are We Dressing Our Daughters Like This?” She writes about “the marketing of the clothing and its potential impact of little girls.” She explains the impacts sexual clothing is having on young girls and their parents. She goes on to answer the questions: When did this start? Will it continue? Is there any way to stop it?
During this process, Draper (2010) examined three distinct eras of editorial that offered an opportunity to cross-examine how gayness helped create three totally distinctive models of straight masculinity through Details. The first era of editorial control, “Not uptight” heterosexuality (1990-1997), “following its makeover features the magazine’s most counterintuitive of straight masculinity through gayness.” (Draper, 2010, p. 362) The magazine involved responses in sex surveys of gay men and alternative-rock musicians, CD reviews, along with fashion spreads where the members were cross dressing, or making out with other men. (Draper, 2010) The three of them “could capitalize on gay men’s perceived cultural cachet while reaffirming their reader’s heterosexuality through the insistence that they were simply “not uptight”, in the end, straight men are not worried when they are confronted by gay men. (Draper, 2010, p. 364)
Advertisements are all over the place. Whether they are on TV, radio, or in a magazine, there is no way that you can escape them. They all have their target audience who they have specifically designed the ad for. And of course they are selling their product. This is a multi billion dollar industry and the advertiser’s study all the ways that they can attract the person’s attention. One way that is used the most and is in some ways very controversial is use of sex to sell products. For me to analyze this advertisement I used the rhetorical triangle, as well as ethos, pathos, and logos.
Posnanski, Tony. “Dear Abercrombie: Thank You for Allowing us ‘Fat, Uncool’ Kids to Buy Your Clothing Online.” Huffingtonpost.com. Huffington Post, 6 December 2013. Web. 15 January 2014.
On Halloween night, one will inevitably see tween-aged girls adorned in sexed-up skeleton, vampire, and doctor ensembles. Costume companies design these provocative outfits specifically for children who want “a sexy look to give you the perfect butt” (Jones, 2014, p.7). The sexualization of girls’ clothing and, consequently, the girls wearing the clothing is not limited to one day per year, however. Popular retailers, such as Abercrombie Kids and Victoria’s Secret PINK, market children’s thong underwear adorned phrases such as “eye candy” and “call me”; push up bikini tops are commonplace in sections intended for young girls (Goldfarb, 2008). Even television shows such as My Little Pony are marketed to sexualize girlhood. The sexualization of girls is inescapable in today’s society, where it is pervasive on virtually all media platforms. This issue must be addressed immediately, as it damages not only the individual, but the well-being of society as a whole.
Watching television growing up, half of the time spent watching was filled with advertisements. Most of the time, the ad would include a beautiful woman, barely dressed, doing something sexually suggestive. The whole advertisement would consist of this, while most people have no idea what the product being sold is. Then at the very end, they provide a brief description of the product. This is an example of using sex to sell products. It is no secret that advertisers have been using sex to sell their products for years. These tools are used in all types of advertisements. However, this is not just selling sex, it is selling elitism. It is selling the status of “hey, if you can get our product, you can get these types of girls”. Elitism is
Abercrombie and Fitch, also known as A&F, is an American retailer that focuses on casual wear and accessories for young...
Sex is everywhere in our society. It is on TV, magazines, radio, billboards, and basically anywhere you look today. People cannot get away from sex in advertising because so many companies use it. Sex appeals are used in advertising all the time, and people love to look at it because 'Sometimes people listen better with their eyes' (Steel 137). Sex in advertising is an effective technique that is used today. It helps companies successfully sell their product in our market. Of course it has to be directed at the right audience, and sold at the right places in order for it to work.
Playboy Magazine is the most widely circulated men's magazine in the world ("Hef's Magazine" 3D). Peruse any well-stocked bookstore in a mall, airport or commercial zone and you are likely to see dozens of glossy Playboy covers, peering down from the top shelves of the magazine isles, tucked safely inside their plastic sealed wraps. Few people anywhere in the western hemisphere are not acquainted with Playboy's provocative content, the most famous feature of which is the monthly centerfold. Each issue of Playboy features a Playmate of the Month in a full-body centerfold-spread designed to titillate ...
Have you ever noticed walking into a large shopping complex and seeing children as young as 6 years old wearing midriff bearing t-shirts and short skirts? And wondered to yourself why the younger generation of today portray themselves like that and why their parents allow it. It all goes back to the strong impact that sexualization portrayed in media and marketing has on everybody in today’s society especially young children from toddlers to late teens, both girls and boys. They see it everywhere from movies/television shows, magazines, clothing, computer games, toys, the music industry and of course the internet.
Media has been filled with exaggerated scrutinies and trashed with unreasonable criticisms. It deserves a break. This is the generation of Information Technology. Danger is just around the corner, where a click from a mouse or a remote control and all sex-related garbage can pop out of the monitor. Truly, a vulnerable teenager can easily get lost to temptations. As an adolescent, I can empathize how these sweet girls feel about how horrible their body shapes are, how ugly their face is, and how brands in fashion seem to be worth more than anything in the world. Fashion labels, tiny bodies, and sexual activities are all characterized in Sex and the City. From th...
Sanburn, Josh. "Brief History: Playboy." Time. Time Inc., 24 Jan. 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.