The target market for this brand is middle & high school students, maybe into college age (really, their parents, because what 12 year old can afford $35 for a graphic tee) These age groups are the highest for young people to experience low self esteem and bullying because of appearance.
"Are we exclusionary? Absolutely. Those companies that are in trouble are trying to target everybody: young, old, fat, skinny. But then you become totally vanilla. You don’t alienate anybody, but you don’t excite anybody, either,” he [CEO Mike Jeffries] told Salon.I can see this point. The internet, of course, is infuriated. Many posts and comments are talking about boycotting Abercrombie, calling Jeffries a list of names... and of course, pictures.
I can't imagine if I worked for the brand. Would I be standing behind them as the media swirls? Feel guilty for being confident? (I once overheard in the mall a group of young girls talking, "They asked if I needed a part time job. That means I'm pretty.) < HOW SAD IS THAT. You are beautiful the way you are! You don't need a retail job to confirm that! This is definitely not the first lawsuit they've faced (think back about five years ago with their sexual innuendo graphic tee's)
The flip side of this, as the internet rages on, is that calling Jeffries fat or ugly is not going to make them feel better! DID MEAN GIRLS TEACH YOU NOTHING!?
I'm not even surprised by this, to be honest. This is, after all, the same company that has been sued in the past for not hiring people of color. Even after being sued, they barely pass the quota for racial diversity. There's always only maybe one or two people of color working at their stores. Do you really think a company that is blatantly racist would be body positive?
ReplyDeleteAside from how screwed up it is, Mr. Jeffries seems to be living in a world of delusion. This isn't the late 90s/early 2000s, when shopping at Abercrombie meant you were part of the "in-crowd." The only people who shop at Abercrombie now are fashion-challeneged upper middle class pre-teens who think that wearing a polo, a denim mini, and flip-flops all featuring the Moose logo is the pinnacle of style. No self-respecting fashionista would be caught dead wearing their crap.
Holy shit I have to give the guy props for being honest 0.o That is insane that he is purposly trying to create the status quo that is found in high schools. Although I have to say it is a very interesting marketing strategy. By only hiring “beautiful people” they create a very inviting environment at their stores, you almost feel like wearing their cloths will make you more attractive. Also by perpetuating the idea that only “beautiful rich” people ware their clothes it encourages these groups to only buy the Avercrombe brand. After all the fact that they can ware these cloths is because they take care of themselves and being able to ware these clothes is a reward for their hard work.
ReplyDeleteRealizing this means that the brand no longer just a brand of clothes, it becomes almost something to strive for. By setting these clothes up on a pedestal it makes them more desirable, not only to those who they are “intended for” but to people who wouldn't want the product to begin with because of the prestige that comes with wearing them. Personally I don't like most of the clothes in there, they are just too damn preppy for my taste. When I see someone wearing the clothes (especially guys) I see somebody named “Chad”.
Chad enjoys going to the beach and going on ski trips with his family, he does not work but if he does he works somewhere that real physical labor isn't involved because in his words “it just isnt my thing”. Chad has never had to deal with any kind of adversity in his life because his parents keep everything so perfect. He plans on going backpacking through Europe after he graduates from highschool so that he can “find himself”......as you can tell I don't like Chad