Exploring both the achievements and mistakes in the company's brand positioning.
By Jessica Diaz - Marketing Journalist
Monday, November 11, 2024
Abercrombie & Fitch
Photo taken by Tagan Conway Unsplash Images
You could say that the brand know as Abercrombie & Fitch has longevity, it was founded in 1892 and appeared to stand the test of time reinventing itself through brand positioning over decades (Abercrombie & Fitch, 2024). I am familiar with this brand due to living through their big rebrand in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Being in high school at the time, I was their target market. Though I would have liked to drape myself in Abercrombie & Fitch, mostly I was privileged to own a few pieces of hand me downs or great thrift store finds. I chose this brand to study because of the highs and lows that it has gone through in recent years.
Brand Examination
Brand mission. Abercrombie & Fitch’s mission has focused on providing high-quality, casual apparel that the company claims is “designed to inspire our global customers to feel confident, be comfortable and face their Fierce” (Abercrombie & Fitch, 2024).
Brand vision. Abercrombie & Fitch’s vision has shifted in recent years in response to some negative consumer feedback which I will discuss more later. Shifting their niche from elitist and exclusive appealing to affluent teens to a wider market focused on inclusivity and diversity, reflecting values that better align with the social change (Abercrombie & Fitch, 2024).
Successful positioning
The Abercrombie & Fitch brand positioning was most successful in the early 2000s with effectively communicating their brand identity that aligned with their target market at that point in time. The brand started with research and followed with communicating their identity that aligned with the target market through their brand name, logo, slogan, and consistency (Wheeler, 2017).
Efficient target market research. Abercrombie did well initially in the 2000s by effective market research about its target demographic which included young, affluent consumers. The brand positioned themselves “based on elitism, exclusion, and bodily perfection” (Boulton, 2022). They learned about the target market and aligned its product and marketing with their lifestyle and desired image, thereby creating a strong emotional connection (Wheeler, 2017).
Brand name. The brand name, “Abercrombie & Fitch”, is well-established. It’s old. This influences a sense of history and heritage of the brand adding a layer of exclusivity (Wheeler, 2017). This feeling appealed to young, fashion-centric consumers. The unique name with a traditional feel helped position the brand ahead of competitors at this time. In short, they were recognized as a new company, but at the same time an established, historical company that customers could trust and take pride in wearing. Their brand name was already an established, strategic asset enabling them to come out the gate in their rebranding with a competitive advantage (Stobart, 2011).
Logo. The famous moose logo is symbolic of a rugged, outdoor lifestyle establishing the brand’s connection with adventure and youth (Abercrombie & Fitch, 2024). The fastest form of communication, symbols like the A&F moose has become so recognizable through repeated exposure via marketing efforts (Wheeler, 2017).
Slogan. Their slogan “Casual Luxury” communicates the brand promise of high-quality, traditionally fashionable clothing that is accessible to all (Abercrombie & Fitch, 2024).
Consistency in branding. This iconic brand successfully maintained a consistency in branding throughout the store, ads, and products, creating a seamless experience that strengthened its identity (Schultz, 2016). It also gave the brand a competitive advantage (Stobart, 2011).
Failed Positioning
After the successful positioning, comes the failed positioning. Now we will talk about the mid-2010’s when Abercrombie failed to adapt with social values both through their advertising and because of publicly unfavorable newsworthy scandals involving the brand’s patriarch.
Exclusivity. The image of Abercrombie & Fitch become aligned with elitism, especially after comments made by the former CEO, Mike Jeffries, came to light. (Reyes-Fournier, 2024). This caused social media backlash from the public and media coverage, basically alienating a large number of consumers in their target market.
Outdated marketing strategies. Using provocative marketing strategies and an extremely narrow view of beauty that many saw as fatphobic or racist took offense to in the changing social environment, did not resonate with their target market of younger consumers that prioritize inclusivity and diversity.
Failure to adapt. As society transforms, so does the market. To stay ahead, brands must adapt to social change, tech, and pop culture, research, and the political climate (Wheeler, 2017). Society progressed and the A&F’s brand positioning did not progress with it quickly enough. Societal values shifted to inclusive marketing practices being favorable, this means featuring diversity in body types and races of models used in advertising. As well as the face of the company, the staff.
Lack of diversity. Lagging behind the competition on the progressing values of society in the 2010s when we were on the verge of re-electing our first black president, the brand failed to be proactive about including representation of all body types and ethnicities. This led to consumer criticism, negative media coverage, and loss of customer loyalty.
Scandal. In the early 2010s, the brand was met with backlash due to comments made by then-CEO Mike Jeffries, who stated that the brand was focused on a specific, attractive demographic and did not cater to "fat" or "unattractive" individuals (Reyes-Fournier, 2023). This elitist perspective alienated a large portion of potential customers and sparked widespread criticism regarding the brand's lack of inclusivity. As a result, Abercrombie & Fitch's identity shifted from being a symbol of youthful exclusivity to one associated with outdated and discriminatory practices. The good news is that the scandal launched a re-evaluation of the brand's marketing strategies, leading to efforts to promote inclusivity and diversity in response to consumer demands for broader representation (Rubino, 2023).
The Abercrombie & Fitch case study highlights the importance of aligning brand identity with current consumer values. While the brand successfully captured the youth market in the early 2000s, its failure to adapt to changing social dynamics in the 2010s led to a significant decline (Dreska, 2023).
Naming Strategies or Brand Positioning
The history and heritage of A&F’s brand name would make for a hard sell to convince the company to rebrand and change their name (Wheeler, 2017). But perhaps that could be an option to separate themselves from what they used to be. Using Abercrombie & Fitch as an example, I have only one strategy in mind to apply in brand name development, evocative naming.
Evocative naming. I think that A&F would be smart to choose a name that evokes the emotions and aspirations of their target audience, building a deeper connection with their consumers. Evocative names allow for a broader interpretation, that can make it appealing to a wider consumer segment.
For example. To better align with the societal values of their target market of young people as well as their currently published brand mission, I would consider rebranding to Abercrombie & Fierce. This could modernize the brand name while evoking the confidence they intend their consumers to feel when wearing their garments. I think that “fierce” can also be seen as more inclusive language for the LGBTQ+ community. Fierce could also align with the original outdoors aspect of the brand over a century ago, it takes a fierceness to survive outdoors in the wilderness. This renaming strategy even allows for the acronym of the existing branding to stay the same.
This little bit of heritage with a hint of trend, acknowledges the consumers paradoxical nostalgia to soften the blow of the ever rapidly changing social and political climate (Wheeler, 2017). Additionally, by using strategic evocative brand naming that reflects inclusivity and adventure, and keeping up with changing social climate, brands can better position themselves in a competitive market with differentiation and foster lasting connections with their audience.
I can't wait to talk to you more about branding, brand positioning, and how we can go about evoking emotions from your audience!
Let's set up a time to chat more about how we can help you with brand positioning today.
Jessica Diaz - Marketing Journalist
Jessica Diaz is a dedicated Marketing Journalist and Graphic Designer with over 10 years of professional marketing experience. Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Marketing at Southern New Hampshire University, she is also minoring in Political Science. Jessica's passion for storytelling and design shines through in her work, as she combines her expertise to craft compelling narratives that engage audiences and drive results. When she's not writing or designing, you can find her exploring the latest marketing trends or advocating for social change.
References:
Abercrombie & Fitch. (n.d.). Purpose. Purpose | Abercrombie.com.
Boulton, C., Burden, R. L., Jenkins, J. L., Pearl, S., & Timke, E. (2022).
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Fashion Industry.
Reyes-Fournier, P., Reyes-Fournier, E., & Bracken, D. W. (2023). Does
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