Be exclusionary at your peril....

I was looking through YouTube this weekend and I stumbled across this viral video that has taken off in the last few days. You may have seen it already but it's a really interesting look on how if you make a brand exclusionary, you may face a bit of a public backlash.

Abercrombie & Fitch have a very extreme policy of not stocking any size above a medium, so that way only perceived 'hot' people are seen wearing their products and clothing. They advertise only using the most beautiful people and present an public image of cool, but one man Greg Karber took it among himself to change that perception.



This video gained so much momentum on YouTube and Facebook that the CEO had to respond by saying:

'While I believe this 7 year old, resurrected quote has been taken out of context, I sincerely regret that my choice of words was interpreted in a manner that has caused offense. A&F is an aspirational brand that, like most specialty apparel brands, targets its marketing at a particular segment of customers. However, we care about the broader communities in which we operate and are strongly committed to diversity and inclusion. “

Like any respectable brand, A&F has a clear position and has a definite target audience. But excluding sections of society can leave you open to ridicule as seen in this video.

So see this as a warning, if you want to exclude the general public, you can face a very public backlash that could leave you a little red faced.

James x