Week 6 EOC: Dicussion Questions Chapter 6

1.  Does A&F reinvent its brand strategy every year through its product assortment?  Is it successful?  Why or why not?

Abercrombie and Fitch doesn’t seem to reinvent its brand strategy every year through its product assortment.  A&F stay consistent with their products and have perceivably been the same for many years.  “The company’s fashion assortment consists of basic items such as cargo shorts and pants, T-shirts, polo shirts, woven shirts, sweaters, denim jackets, jeans, sweatshirts, zip fleece tops, leather belts, flip-flops, underwear, cologne, baseball caps, men’s and women’s bracelets and jewelry, bags, and various other types of activewear.”  Brand Story by Joseph Hancock page 91

2.  How does A&F brand its products?  Do you think its brand practices are successful?

Abercrombie and Fitch brands its products with scent, atmosphere, style, employees, marketing, and overall aesthetic.  “…a company like A&F translates its visual brand advertising messages into a multisensory store experience that contextualizes its fashion-branded products.”  Brand Story by Joseph Hancock page 98

3.  How do retail store atmospherics such as music, fragrance, lighting, store props, and retail brand associates strengthen a brand message?  How do they weaken it?

Music, fragrance, lighting, store props, and retail brand associates can always be both advantageous and disadvantageous, strictly because you cannot appeal to everyone.  In A&F’s case, the club like atmosphere with the strong signature scent and obvious homoerotic ads is advantageous toward their target market.  Because this company uses risqué advertising, it definitely turns away a good amount of customers purely from offensive material.  

4.  What feelings or emotions do you experience when you enter an A&F store?  Do you think A&F tried to intimidate its customer by using extremely attractive models?

“…the muscles male greeter signifies to both men and women that this store is male space, thereby attracting men that might be intimidated by female space and elevating the status of A&F in the eyes of both sexes…”  Brand Story by Joseph Hancock page 100  It is clear that A&F has thought through how their models may be offensive or intimidating to many.  They have perfected this marketing technique in such a way that it appeals more than it offends.