Abercrombie and Fitch Controversy
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Abercrombie and Fitch Controversy The clothing retailer Abercrombie and Fitch, a popular stop for teens, has had its share of controversies in the past few years. There is a 2010 ad they put out that has a young, handsome, shirtless, late teens male on top of a female in a small tank top. The caption reads “Young and Sexy, by Abercrombie and Fitch.” While this ad may seem appealing to the eyes, it is troubling because it uses the idea of sexual appeal to try and sell its clothing. This sort of troublesome lewd image is not only directed at youth in their late teens or early twenties, Abercrombie has been known for trying to sell push up shirts to girls as young as eight or nine. Their marketing strategy has drastically changed, seeing as there is an ad from 1909, showing two young men in canoe hunting, wearing nice buttoned down shirts that are tucked in. Back in the day, this company was patronized by people such as Amelia Earhart, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Since then the company has taken on a more scandalous look, abandoning its all American look. Another controversy that may not seem prevalent at first is the fact that both of these “sexy” models are Caucasian in the add above. With many past and current controversies circling Abercrombie and Fitch’s company, there is enough evidence to support the claim that Abercrombie has all the wrong values and ethics when it comes to marketing. Any retailer knows that, especially in today’s market, you do what it takes to sell your product. However, is using sexual appeal going too far in the game of name brand advertising? It seems that in today’s society, anything involving sexual acts is more accepted on the television and movie screen then it ever has been before. From Jersey shores acronyms describing someone’s willingness to have sexual intercourse, to movies that have the entire story line based on finding a sexual partner. It appears as if this is being used for advertising as
Abercrombie and Fitch Controversy The clothing retailer Abercrombie and Fitch, a popular stop for teens, has had its share of controversies in the past few years. There is a 2010 ad they put out that has a young, handsome, shirtless, late teens male on top of a female in a small tank top. The caption reads “Young and Sexy, by Abercrombie and Fitch.” While this ad may seem appealing to the eyes, it is troubling because it uses the idea of sexual appeal to try and sell its clothing. This sort of troublesome lewd image is not only directed at youth in their late teens or early twenties, Abercrombie has been known for trying to sell push up shirts to girls as young as eight or nine. Their marketing strategy has drastically changed, seeing as there is an ad from 1909, showing two young men in canoe hunting, wearing nice buttoned down shirts that are tucked in. Back in the day, this company was patronized by people such as Amelia Earhart, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Since then the company has taken on a more scandalous look, abandoning its all American look. Another controversy that may not seem prevalent at first is the fact that both of these “sexy” models are Caucasian in the add above. With many past and current controversies circling Abercrombie and Fitch’s company, there is enough evidence to support the claim that Abercrombie has all the wrong values and ethics when it comes to marketing. Any retailer knows that, especially in today’s market, you do what it takes to sell your product. However, is using sexual appeal going too far in the game of name brand advertising? It seems that in today’s society, anything involving sexual acts is more accepted on the television and movie screen then it ever has been before. From Jersey shores acronyms describing someone’s willingness to have sexual intercourse, to movies that have the entire story line based on finding a sexual partner. It appears as if this is being used for advertising as
Cited: Leung, Rebecca. "The Look Of Abercrombie & Fitch - CBS News." (2009). Web. 25 Jan. 2012 Claire Shipman. "Abercrombie & Fitch Padded Bikini Top For 7-Year- Olds Causes Parents Outrage - ABC News." (2011). Web. 23 Jan. 2012.