Sex sells

This week after analyzing the Abercrombie ad in our text book, I realized what clever advertisements the company has made to make it a success. When we discussed the signifiers and signified in the advertisements, I was able to recognize the sex selling of the Abercrombie advertisements.
I will never forget when I was a freshman is high school all of my friends and I would save all of our Abercrombie boy bags and post them on our wall. The reason for this? Well, the half nude men on the bags were always hot and it kept me buying their clothes. The Abercrombie ads market themselves with a sexual connotation which is a huge reason why so many young high school girls keep going back for their clothes. They have established themselves as a high end preppy and all American brand which in turn has young teenagers purchasing their clothes. Abercrombie originally was marketed as an outfitter of sporting and excursion goods but after becoming bankrupt in the 1970s the store was taken over and was given a make over. Because the sporting goods company was not selling, Abercrombie found a new focus to advertising, sexy shirtless men. Now that the store is a famous all American brand they have created a completely new imaging from sporting goods apparel, to the preppy must have style. After class this week I discovered the new meaning of the Abercrombie ads after researching the company’s history. When I look at their shopping bags I can see why the company has done so well with their advertising.