Executive Summary Brand identity is about story telling. Using the latest content that has been published, compromising the five best images that reflect the profile of the brand, a consumer-photo-storyboard can be developed to: Describe the profile of the brand; Identify the main communication and publicity themes; and Critically assess the integrated modes of communication with consumers, including limitations and negative content. Throughout the storyboard, the values the brand stands for and how these are communicated will be addressed, with the conclusion focusing on what the images say about the competitiveness of the brand. The brand that will be addressed in this assignment is Abercrombie and Fitch. [Note: Please note that this assignment was written in March/April 2014, and so the content was current or recent at the time.] Why choose Abercrombie and Fitch? The main reason for this is because I see it a lot in my life when out and about, especially at university. However, A&F is not a brand I communicate, associate, or connect with, I just cannot relate to it. I have never owned any A&F clothing, and I doubt I ever will. I don’t know much about the brand and I would like to find out more, by exploring the brands profile, their main communication modes, values and competitiveness. I personally don’t like the brand, as I associate it with people who express a certain image that I hate, which you could say makes me biased. I want to explore the negative content and limitations, to see if my views are shared. However, by exploring the brand maybe my perceptions of it will change. The Brand Profile Abercrombie and Fitch, also known as A&F, is an American retailer that focuses on casual wear and accessories for young... ... middle of paper ... ...er retailers have followed their methods and philosophy, e.g American apparel have used similar marketing techniques to create a ‘sexy’ image, while Jack Wills have positioned themselves as the ‘British version of Abercrombie’. However, despite their success, all the negative press and controversies has lead to Abercrombie coming under pressure from activist investors to shake up management, who this month said they want to see more dramatic changes at the company, saying the retailer needs a new strategy after four straight quarters of declining sales. Bloomberg News reported“As part of its turnaround effort, Abercrombie is repositioning its brands… aimed at shoppers with more money to spend, rather than teens. The Hollister brands… will use low prices and rapidly changing styles to recapture customers who’ve turned to chains like Forever 21.” (Bloomberg, 2014)
For the purposes of this paper we will be discussing the boycott effects on Abercrombie & Fitch; a U.S based clothing company. At first we will analyse the concept of boycotting international companies to understand the different choices boycotters make when targeting the guilty company. We will look at the history of the company; it’s beginnings, evolution of concept, failures and successes. An important part of this paper will be assessing the main factors and reasons that led to the boycott. We are going to be analysing the effects of the boycott keeping in mind that although the reasons behind the controversial boycott have taken place a couple of years ago, only in 2013 has the boycott been initiated by several different parties involved. To be able to understand what triggered the boycott to begin we are going to try to understand how it all came about to begin with. There are several concerned parties in the boycott and each have their own agenda and reasoning to boycott the company. To give a more thorough analysis of the initiators of this particular boycott their relation to one another will be discussed in the paper. Another important part of the boycott is the different types of effects that these boycotters have on the company. We will closely study the reasons, the effects, the affected parties, and the path for damage control and reconciliation chosen by Abercrombie & Fitch as well as its results both the negative and the positive. Finally we will discuss the effectiveness of the boycott on the Abercrombie’s internationalization, market strategy, competitiveness, and market activities.
The American brand Abercrombie and Fitch (ANF) is a retailer selling fashionable and luxurious sportswear clothing, and accessories.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co., also known as A&F, was founded in 1892 by David Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch. Its headquarters is located in New Albany, Ohio. Maybe nobody knew that this apparel retailer was from its beginning a kind of elite outfitter of expensive sporting and excursion goods. The company, with more than two hundred subsidiaries around the world, sells casual apparel for men, women, and kids. The company retails different products such as casual sportswear apparel, woven shirts, graphic T-shirts, shorts, sweaters, jeans and woven pants, outerwear, and accessories for its main target among the A&F, Abercrombie kids, and Hollister brands.
In America today, there are many different clothing stores. There are stores setting images for all ages, and styles. The majority of the upper-class stores are setting the American image for the young adult population. Many of the advertisements for these stores are somewhat similar. I have spent the last year and a half working in a clothing store called, “Abercrombie and Fitch”. Seeing this store change and grow with its image of vintage American clothing, I have found many rhetorical issues. Within this essay I will be discussing the many rhetorical issues of the clothing company “Abercrombie and Fitch”.
In every given business, the name itself portrays different meanings. This serves as the reference point and sometimes the basis of customers on what to expect within the company. Since personality affects product image (Langmeyer & Shank, 1994), the presence of brand helps in the realization of this concept. Traditionally, brand is a symbolic manifestation of all the information connected with a company, product, or service (Nilson, 2003; Olin, 2003). A brand is typically composed of a name, logo, and other visual elements such as images, colors, and icons (Gillooley & Varley, 2001; Laforet & Saunders, 1994)). It is believed that a brand puts an impression to the consumer on what to expect to the product or service being offered (Mere, 1995). In other application, brand may be referred as trademark, which is legally appropriate term. The brand is the most powerful weapon in the market (LePla & Parker, 1999). Brands possess personality in which people associate their experience. Oftentimes, they are related to the core values the company executes.
The Abercrombie and Fitch industry mainly has mall-based stores, but in addition, consumers can buy their products online or through catalog orders. Although there is an obvious decline in sales, and the U.S. is currently undergoing a drastic recession, Abercrombie and Fitch has began expanding their retail stores in other ...
Abercrombie and Fitch target a specific audience to make their customers feel young and beautiful. The young adult population is attracted into stores like Abercrombie and Fitch because of the store’s sex appeal. Young and beautiful adults are ready at the door rea...
In “The man behind Abercrombie and Fitch.” An interview conducted by Benoit Denizet-Lewis displays a glimpse into the life of Mike Jeffries and his views of his company only hiring “good-looking” people and targeting “good-looking” people to wear his clothes. This has been done in order to force his audience to recognize that the issue of acceptance one’s peers and exclusion of a community mentioned by Mike Jeffries, is a result of cultural perceptions and individual self-image. Denizet-Lewis skillfully shows that while Jeffries remarks of not wanting the “not-so-popular” kids to shop in his stores, it poses a question to consumers asking what change in our attitudes will come or if there will be any change at all. Thus comes the issue of how consumers today have a shift in the reasoning behind why one buys clothing and the motivating factors that influence one to buy certain clothing. Denizet-Lewis also demonstrates the different messages that controversial advertisements and statements affect different groups of people and how what they project is really what people desire, though deemed by many people as unacceptable or inappropriate. The author also examines how in the news media, the image has become more important than the message and how images have taken precedent over actual issues and character. As a result of this, various communities have formed by the construct of selling to “beautiful people” and how popular appeal has become an extension of a person.
Abercrombie & Fitch stated they would revise their look policy when in reality they did nothing to change the environment their employees work in. The store needs to refile and reexamine their policies and stipulations. If the company cannot accommodate a growing acceptance of religion in America, then perhaps they should not be in business. I have a growing dislike for the company as I examine their previous lawsuits and cases of discrimination and
Polo Ralph Lauren not only owned retail stores, but also under other retailers such as Nordstrom, Macy’s, Dillard’s, Belk, Saks Fifth Avenue, and various other retailers. The unique selling proposition of Ralph Lauren brands go about defining themselves as not like the others, is to develop a positioning that’s intended for a narrower target to make them unique. Most luxury brands fall into this fashion unique style categories. Ralph Lauren Company wants potential customers to know all the ways that they are better than others, and as a result their advertising focuses on product benefits. The result is to grab the attention of their customers. The emotional appeal of this brand is to increase your self esteem and leaves you feeling high class and
in this segment are often brand conscious and enjoy the latest fads and trends. They...
This essay will critically discuss the creation of brand meaning is a central issue for contemporary brand management from multiple perspectives. It will begin by defining what brand meaning is. It will explore the various meanings of brand meaning and how these meanings can be created. It will explain the creation of brand meaning in terms of how and by whom brand meaning is created providing relevant practical examples and making reference to the academic literature. Then, it will analyse why the creation of brand meaning apparently has become such an important issue for managers, consumers and within society in general. Lastly, it will evaluate the implications of my arguments for branding theory and practice, and end with a conclusion.
Brands are series of logos, names, slogans, designs, and/or sounds that communicate to people what the company, product, or service in question stands for. Though the main aim of a brand is to develop trust and satisfaction with customers and supporters, people develop their own idea of what this representation may include after experiencing the product for themselves. As more people experience the product and word of the product is spread through society, the brand image becomes synonymous with the product. Some brand images have become so well known that they can be displayed somewhere irrelevant to the product and still are successfully able to convey a message to viewers. A brand is of utmost importance in advertising, and it is essential to develop a brand image early in a product’s life in order to assure that the image will be known for the remainder of time the company or product is in existence.
If you are an individual who works hard for your money then this could be an eye opener to think twice before opening your wallet to brands like this. The consumers who shop at H&M or Forever 21 are the consumers who appreciate “the now” compared to the consequences of the next trend. The depressing moment, is that most consumers might not know that their clothes are cheaply made or the recycling process is impactful to their environment.
Abercrombie & Fitch going bigger in Asia and opening first Hollister stores in Australia - Columbus - Business First. 2013. Abercrombie & Fitch going bigger in Asia and opening first Hollister stores in Australia - Columbus - Business First. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2013/02/22/abercrombie-fitch-expanding-to.html