In this entry, I will be examining American Apparel advertisements. They have always been controversial because of the company’s inclusion of sexuality as a strong selling point, which is interesting considering their advertisements have not been banned and American Apparel proudly archives their advertisements on their website for anybody to browse through.
People today are all up in arms over sex in advertising. It is no longer 1872, pre-marital sex occurs and babies born out of wedlock do exist. There are plenty of advertisements that are provocative and are not suitable for the eyes of children, but that is something that advertisements cannot control: who sees them. Many brands are known for putting out controversial ads that contain sexual innuendos such as Dolce and Gabbana, Victoria’s Secret, and Tom Ford.
But back to my focus upon American Apparel…
September 2009
Source: http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/ads/images/a7000/type3/7245_american-appare-ad-OK-faye-laceunitard-280909.jpg
August 2009
Source: http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/ads/images/a7000/type3/7026_american-apparel-ad-phoenix-bullseye-120809.jpg
June 2007
Source: http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/ads/images/a6000/type3/6002_american-apparel-ad-boston-tankthong-150607.jpg
March 2007
Source: http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/ads/images/a6000/type3/6274_american-apparel-ad-ottawa-tights-050307.jpg
September 2006
Source: http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/ads/images/a6000/type3/6869_american-apparel-ad-Vice-UK-pantytime-270906.jpg
October 2005
Source: http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/ads/images/a6000/type3/6096_american-apparel-ad-japan-wereopen-101005.jpg
Ok so you get the point: American Apparel is not afraid to put itself out there as a company that uses suggestive imagery to model their clothing. Ryan Holiday does online strategy for American Apparel stated that “Yes there’s shock value to these ads – that’s what our advertising strategy is about. We photograph models in a way that’s honest – we aren’t so constrained by the rules.”[1] What is interesting to note is that American Apparel has a reputation amongst youth who like simple, plain, non-logo laden clothing that is not particularly suggestive in any way. But their advertisements suggest sex and other racy things. In a way, it seems as though American Apparel is trying to show consumers that being plain and normal can also be just as sexy; it is not the clothing that makes a model sexy, it is the way that she acts and presents herself. American Apparel prides itself on using “normal” girls as models in their advertisements and do not rely on airbrushing or hours of makeup and hair prior to a photo-shoot.[2]
While the company has a history of producing advertisements that now have a very recognizable thematic and schematic format, along with the recognizable block-like font, they seem to be promoting a very sensible idea that normalcy can be normal. The only reason why an underwear advertisement seems racy is because she is wearing nothing else in the advertisement. Logically, this is done to showcase the panties, but at the same time, a girl would never go out in public wearing only the panties. The philosophy that American Apparel ads are secretly proliferating is that everyone has the potential to be sexy, regardless of the amount of skin they show.
So, having examined that… is American Apparel secretly brilliant for putting out such a convicted message, or is it overshadowed by their use of sex in advertising to sell their clothing?
Every girl part of Generation Y and Z wants to be “sexy”. Somehow Hollywood has instilled it in the minds of young girls that they all should be “sexy”. Dr. Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D., wrote a book entitled “Big Fat Lies” (1996) which stated that over 1/2 the females between the ages of 18-25 would prefer to be run over by a truck then be fat, and 2/3 surveyed would rather be mean or stupid.[3] This distorted vision of what is ideal has been a continual problem that seems to be recognized but never rectified. If Hollywood has such an impact on the mentality of adolescents, then society is forced to find other outlets and other channels to disseminate the “proper” message and that is exactly what American Apparel has taken upon themselves.
I believe that American Apparel is brilliant for using sex in a way that promotes healthy body image and a healthy outlook on what is sexy. They are redefining the meaning of sexy (albeit slowly) but in the subtlest way as to not raise confrontations with people who believe that nothing is wrong with using a “sex sells” advertising doctrine. American Apparel is fitting into mainstream society through their usage of sex, and it is enough to be borderline (and sometimes more) controversial but that is exactly what keeps their brand name prominent within the advertising community. However, the intention behind their advertisements is what really sets them apart from racy ads put out by other brands.
Changing the world for the better through advertising. Who would have thought?
[1] “Nipples, Nudity and a Small Striptease: American Apparel’s New Ad Campaign | An Itinerant Mind | Fast Company.” FastCompany.com - Where ideas and people meet | Fast Company. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/saabira-chaudhuri/itinerant-mind/nipples-nudity-and-small-striptease-american-apparels-new-ad-c>
[2] “Nipples, Nudity and a Small Striptease: American Apparel’s New Ad Campaign | An Itinerant Mind | Fast Company.” FastCompany.com - Where ideas and people meet | Fast Company. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/saabira-chaudhuri/itinerant-mind/nipples-nudity-and-small-striptease-american-apparels-new-ad-c>
[3] Gaesser, Glenn A. Big Fat Lies. New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1996. Print.
