Does Abercrombie and Fitch really sell sex to teens?

There has been a lot of controversy about the Abercrombie & Fitch brand over the last 10 years regarding its current advertising strategy. Abercrombie has taken the phrase “sex sells” to a whole new level with its over-the-top ad campaigns featuring semi-nude young women and men, in some cases pushing the limits of permitted conventional nudity and free expression.

In 2003, a group of concerned parents and others complained that the Christmas catalog published by A&F was too provocative for public consumption. The catalog contained over 100 partially nude images of young adult models. It also featured suggestive homoerotic imagery that offended many of the nation’s far-right and Christian groups. Abercrombie and Fitch claims that its brand is marketed to college-age individuals 18 and older. However, studies have revealed that, in many cases, the company’s most popular demographic is people much younger than college age.

In fact, the “sex sells” strategy in marketing may have brought Abercrombie success despite controversy in the past, yet many people are growing tired of the brand according to recent surveys. In 2008, a ChangeWave survey revealed that Abercrombie was the store that consumers were unlikely to shop at again in the future. In general, the biggest objection expressed by these consumers was the image of the company and the moral message it projects.

In general, Abercrombie and Fitch has had mixed successes and failures as a result of marketing its products through sexual provocation. Any marketing campaign that crosses the lines of perceived morality among potential consumers is always a long-term risk.