So..where are the clothes you're modeling?

Disclaimer: I was totally going to write about this for my RCL blog BEFORE we discussed it in class.

For Christmas, my grandmother got me this pink extra small cardigan with chiffon flaps on the front. It was from Abercrombie and Fitch and it wasn't exactly my style. I knew that if I exchanged it and if I looked around the store hard enough I would find a couple of things without a big moose (their logo) taking over the entire clothing item or a few pairs of jeans without any "pre-wear-and-tear" additions to them. That's a whole 'nother rhetorical situation in itself! Being a walking advertisement isn't really my thing.

Anyways, it had been a while since I had been in a store like that and I took some mental notes and took some mental pictures. It was dark in there, the lighting was flattering. Some how I fit into size 0 jeans (definitely NOT my size at other stores). There were naked men above the jean section, the fragrance section and the sweater section alike. There weren't too many seasonal items- all the flowery skirts, tank tops and shorts were still out and not even on sale.

Then I looked down at the staff's feet. Sandals.

It occurred to me then that they are required to promote an image. The lighting, the nakedness, the summery feel all promoted the A&F image.

As you can see in the ad, the naked man is in front of the name of the store. It suggests that they no longer have to promote their name-that's not their concern- they have to promote their style. It's an image that you can't exactly describe with one or even a few words. Summery yet preppy, indie yet trendy. Too cool for stress, yet too sophisticated for not taking life seriously.

So with all the ads that are 75% shirtless male and 10% clothes and 15% background, they obviously aren't showcasing the clothes; they're showcasing who wears them. It doesn't matter that the clothes look great on them, what matters is that those people are cool- they're in black and white looking like they've got it all figured out, or just absolutely loving life. Whoever is in those ads is what A&F decided is a great embodiment of their image.

They work very hard to make you feel like you are a great embodiment of their image as well. They want you to feel good about yourself. I admit, I did feel a little skinnier when I found out that I can still fit into a size 0. The light hits you just right, hiding what you don't want to see and showing off what you've got to flaunt. You're feeling good as you check yourself out in the mirror and they're hoping that the association between your happiness and the clothes on your back will keep growing stronger with every second you stare.

And really, from a marketing stand point, it's brilliant.