Dear Abercrombie & Fitch: Your Perennial Youth and Sex Positioning May Need A Makeover

There is no doubt that Abercrombie & Fitch is in need of a makeover.

Like a Pop Star, the brand's sexy perfection can be alluring, but only for a short period of time. They're a youth brand that hasn't figured out how to keep, or grow an audience of aspirational hotties coming back for more. Their product line has changed little in over a decade, and their marketing is a one-trick, re-touched pony.

Go no farther for proof of these facts than the company's 63-year year old CEO Mike Jeffries. He's a man perennially caught looking, and acting like a man in his twenties. As a reflection of the CEO, A&F is caught-up in a certain sexy look defined by black & white Bruce Weber photos of nearly a decade ago.

The most recent photography on the company's website is so re-touched that the models look more like CGI rather than human.

And where does the rubber-meet-the-road in this discussion of a brand turn-around? Look to the company's stock price, which has been on a steady decline since the beginning of 2008, when it peaked at around $80. The stock is currently  is hovering in the low $20s, with no signs of a turnaround.

And here's a little more proof. According to a September ChangeWave survey of more than 4,000 consumers, Abercrombie was the store they said they're least likely to shop at in the future. Consumers primarily objected to the company's risqué self-portrayal. One respondent took them to task for "immoral advertising and the message it sends to teens."

Sources: Salon and BloggingStocks

Comments

[Scottie]

Great post!
Many people love A & F very much, but the revolution should be taken to this old and big brand.