Abercrombie bids adieu to its hyper-sexualized reputation
In a major PR move, popular clothing brand, Abercrombie & Fitch and its sister brand, Hollister, are getting a modest makeunder, thanks to new management.
The brand’s practice of focusing its entire image, including store employees, on physical attractiveness, had brought it much public criticism.
“These changes build on other changes undertaken including shift to a brand-based organization, appointment of brand presidents, and retirement of long-time CEO, Mike Jeffries, last December,” Abercrombie said in a statement.
Moving forward, Abercrombie and Hollister will no longer feature shirtless male models at store events amd all models in advertisements will be fully clothed. In addition, store employees will not be hired based on physical attractiveness and will be called ‘brand ambassadors’ instead of ‘models.’
These changes, the brand hopes, will help it move toward “a customer-centric store-operating model and making it more convenient, friendlier and easier to shop.”
Shoppers and shareholders will begin to see the changes both in stores and in ad campaigns as 2015 progresses.
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