In No Logo, Naomi Klein states "What these companies produced primarily were not things, they said, but images of their brands " (2, Klein) and that is exactly what Abercrombie & Fitch are doing. They are creating sexual images of their brands that give you the idea that if you buy and wear their clothing then you will look like the models in the advertisements. Good marketers know you have to stand for something. You can't be all things to all people and still expect to build an iconic brand. Targeting is what sets you apart from the rest " a fact that holds especially true when it comes to fashion. And branding isn't just about whom to attract; it's also about whom to repel.
Anyone who has been to Abercrombie & Fitch in the last few years has probably noticed that they do not carry XL or XXL sizes of women's clothing because they do not want overweight women wearing their brand. They take a big risk with this tactic because two of Abercrombie's biggest competitors, H&M and American Eagle, both offer XXL sizes for men and women. The largest women's pants available at Abercrombie are a size 10, while H&M goes up to 16 and American Eagle goes even farther to 18. Abercrombie's attitude towards plus-sized women derives from CEO Mike Jeffries. Robin Lewis, author of The New Rules of Retail, spoke to Business Insider about the kind of people Jeffries wants advertising his brand. "He doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people, " Lewis said. "He doesn't want his core customers to see people who aren't as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they're one of the ˜cool kids' " (Business Insider). .
A person's first reaction to this would probably be that Jeffries is a jerk. His competitors, American Eagle and H&M, welcome their less petite customers by offering a full range of sizes. His mean-spirited comments also seem like bad business.