Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F)
Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) is an American retailer that focuses on upscale casual wear for people aged 21 to 24; its
headquarters are in New Albany, Ohio. The company operates 1,049 stores across all three brands.The company operates two
other offshoot brands: Abercrombie Kids & Hollister Co.
Once known for its sexualised ad campaigns, the company has toned down its imagery and no longer displays nearly nude
models in their advertisements. According to then-chairman Arthur Martinez, these changes provide the hopes that the
audience will see the company is evolving along with its consumers, and boost sales. Abercrombie and Fitch is now targeting an
older consumer, from ages 21 to 24.
Abercrombie & Fitch is notable for using "brand representatives" (previously called "models") for store customer service. Its
main competitors are Aéropostale and American Eagle Outfitters. Its younger subsidiary, Abercrombie Kids, competes with
Aéropostale's P.S., and American Eagle Outfitters's 77kids.
HISTORY
Founded in 1892 in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, by David T. Abercrombie and Ezra Fitch, Abercrombie
& Fitch was an elite outfitter of sporting and excursion goods, particularly noted for its expensive shotguns, fishing rods, fishing
boats, and tents.[6] In 1976, Abercrombie & Fitch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, finally closing its flagship store at Madison
Avenue and East 45th Street in 1977.
Shortly thereafter the name was revived in 1978; Oshman's Sporting Goods, a Houston-based chain owned by Jake
Oshman, bought the defunct firm's name and mailing list for $1.5 million ($5.9 million in 2017 dollars). Oshman's relaunched
A&F as a mail-order retailer specializing in hunting wear and novelty items. It also opened shops in Beverly Hills, Dallas, and (by
the mid-1980s) New York City. Finally, in 1988, Oshman's sold the company name and operations to The Limited, a clothing-
chain operator based in Columbus, Ohio. Abercrombie & Fitch gradually shifted its focus to young adults, first as a subsidiary of
Limited Brands and then as a separate, publicly traded company; and grew to become one of the largest apparel firms in the
United States.
To combat heavy competition from fast-fashion retailers like Forever 21 and H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch announced key
changes to its image. It aims to reduce emphasis on sexualized advertising and focus more on customer service & diversity.
Among the changes announced are eliminating sexualized advertising, no longer having shirtless models at new store openings,
and eliminating sexualized pictures and advertising on bags, gift cards, and in stores. They are changing the name of store
employees from "models" to "brand representatives", and will allow a more individualistic dress code. "Brand representatives"
will also focus more on customer service by asking customers for help in stores, as opposed to past policies of aloofness. They
also aim to promote more diversity among store employees and executives as well. A&F is signaling it will be implementing
changes quickly.
Since 1997, the company has consistently kept a high-profile in the public eye, due to its advertising, its philanthropy, and its
involvement in legal conflicts over branding, clothing style and employment practices. In the first decade of the 21st century,
the Great Recession battered the company's business as teenagers looked to lower-priced fast fashion brands
like H&M and Forever 21 for fashion. Abercrombie & Fitch's stock price dropped from an all-time high of $84.23 in October
2007 to a low of $14.64 in November 2008.[13] The company worked to overhaul its merchandise mix and cut underperforming
stores, but lackluster performance has continued. Longtime CEO Michael Jeffries stepped down in December 2014, after 22
years with the company
As of May 2015, the changes were already very apparent in stores. All "permanent marketing" images at the cash wrap and
fitting rooms have been removed. Also, store models are no longer dressed in Abercrombie clothes.
As of 26 March 2018, the following were key corporate officials:
Terry Burman – Non-Executive Chairman
Fran Horowitz – Chief Executive Officer
Joanne Crevoiserat – Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
Stacia Andersen – Brand President of Abercrombie & Fitch and Abercrombie Kids
Kristin Scott – Brand President of Hollister Co.
Robert Bostrom – Senior Vice Preseident, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Scott Lipesky – Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
In April 2017, the company was described by Standard & Poor's as having a market value of $650,000,000 and about
$420,000,000 cash on hand. In May 2017, the company was in talks to sell itself. Potential buyers included Express, American
Eagle Outfitters and Cerberus Capital Management. Negotiations failed by early July. As a result of the news, on 10 July the
firm's stock fell 21%
MARKETING STRATEGY
The brand mainly targets the youth segment. However, because of its portrayal of youth, it is loved by men and women of all
ages. The target segment of the company is the upscale crowd and to target the upscale and lifestyle crowd, Abercrombie and
Fitch has invested a lot in its Stores as well as brand representatives and advertising to ensure that the lifestyle crowd loves the
brand.
Although A&F had a clear target of positioning itself in top of the mind, it has not been able to achieve the same. A decade
back, A&F marketing was strong and hence it had Top Of Mind awareness. But today, the brand has lost its “cool” and “hip”
appeal and is doing well overall but not with the same pace it was growing a decade back. In fact, In 2014, the brand posted a
severe loss. It has also lost its premium positioning because the youth do not feel connected with the brand.
OUR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH ALL ASPECTS OF THE BUSINESS
TO:
ENSURE business strategy and execution is informed by and sensitive to the countries & cultures where we do business
DEVELOP leaders who respect identities and cultures distinctive to their own
ENCOURAGE ongoing conversations that create a space to relate and foster a sense of belonging
CREATE a recruitment, retention and promotion strategy
THREE AREAS OF FOCUS
OUR TEAM OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY
We understand that diversity comes We are dedicated to welcoming our We team up with individuals and
from the mix of all of our identities and customer community by always creating organizations in the community through
we are stronger as a team when all an accessible and inclusive environment partnerships, sponsorships, and
voices and opinions are valued. No each and every time they interact with volunteering. We are dedicated to
matter where we are in the world, our our brands. ensuring that all our external partners
culture is inclusive, warm and authentic. share our values of diversity & inclusion
SOCIAL MISSION
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is proud of our commitment to global human and labor rights, and to ensuring that our products are only made in safe
and responsible facilities. We partner with suppliers who respect local laws and share our dedication to utilizing the best practices in human
rights, labor rights and workplace safety. A&F believes that business should only be conducted with honesty and respect for the dignity and
rights of all people.
“Abercrombie and Fitch focuses upon high-quality merchandise that compliments the casual classic American
lifestyle.”
GOALS AND VALUES
1
POSITIVELY IMPACT OUR CUSTOMERS
In an effort to be active and give back to the communities in which we do business, we provide support to global organizations in the form of
donations, volunteerism and in-kind support. Serious Fun Children's Network is currently A&F's largest philanthropic partner. The A&F
Challenge is held annually on the Home Office campus in New Albany, Ohio. To date, these efforts have raised over $15 million. To honor our
$10 million commitment, the Emergency Department at Nationwide Children's Hospital is named the Abercrombie & Fitch Emergency
Department & Trauma Center. A&F runs multiple cause marketing campaigns, like the Hollister Co. and Operation Warm partnership, to bring
A&F Gives Back to our customers.
2
CREATE LASTING PARTNERSHIPS
We’re out to build relationships—not just partnerships. We want to create meaningful change through our philanthropic efforts, and we do
that by cultivating lasting and engaging connections with our key partners. Visit Our Partners to see the relationships we've built throughout
the community.
3
INCREASE ASSOCIATE ENGAGEMENT
Our associates are highly motivated and community-minded. They are eager to get involved. They volunteer thousands of hours each year and
encourage each other to give back to organizations all over the globe. A&F Co. has sent more than 200 associates to volunteer at 14 SeriousFun
camps around the world for a week at a time. A&F associates have volunteered over 43,000 hours in 2016 and 2017 with organizations around
the world. A&F associates have volunteered their time and talents with countless global organizations.
4
INCREASE CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
Our customers are agents of change. We take the incredible and inspiring missions of our key partners, and we bring them to our customers
through special campaigns and in-store programming. Learn more about the Campaigns and Initiatives supported by Abercrombie & Fitch,
Hollister, and abercrombie kids.
UPCOMMING EVENTS (HIGHLIGHTS)
Abercrombie House School Holiday Activities in July 2018
Mon July 9 at 10:00 am - Fri July 20 at 11:00 am
Kids Night Tours at Abercrombie House
Wear warm comfortable clothes and walking shoes, bring a torch, concludes with chocolate milk & cookies.
All tickets $15 from Abercrombie House & Bathurst Visitors Centre.
50% Off Abercrombie To all shop (limited items)
Fri july 20 at 10:00 am – Sat July 21 at 10:00 am
ANGELICA R. NICHA
