After reading the below retail controvery discuss how Abercrombie & Fitch differ

Question

After reading the below retail controvery discuss how Abercrombie & Fitch differentiation strategy may have put its brand image at risk.

In 2006, Abercrombie & Fitch Chief Executive Michael S. Jeffries gave a magazine interview in which he said the brand is "exclusionary," focusing on "the cool kids...the attractive all-American kid." "A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong," he said. In May, the interview resurfaced and went viral, with consumers protesting Abercrombie's lack of XL and XXL women's sizes. After a week of shopper complaints -- a Change.org petition demanding an apology has garnered more than 65,000 signatures; one man began handing out Abercrombie clothing to homeless Skid Row residents -- Jeffries spoke out. He emphasized that his brand is an "aspirational" one but that it is "completely opposed to any discrimination, bullying, derogatory characterizations or other anti-social behavior based on race, gender, body type or other individual characteristics." "I sincerely regret that my choice of words was interpreted in a manner that has caused offense," he said. Still no plans to offer larger women's clothing, though. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Explanation / Answer

Talking to one person and talking in public are two different scenarios. One should be very diligent when speaking in public as to the choice and tone of words spoken and gestures used. Mr. Jeffries words seems very arrogant and proudly. The use of the statement “focusing on "the cool kids...the attractive all-American kid." Sounds very discriminatory and rude. One cannot discriminate among the children’s body shape and comment in public regarding cool and not so cool kids. Further the statement, "A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong," is very selfish and harsh. People would have gathered and boy cot his products entirely. He may have lost his market position based on it. When he was clarifying and showing regression on his statements, still he said that he doesn’t seems to introduce the XL and XXL sizes. Instead he should have been diplomatic and may have said, I will think about it and work on gradually when my business is stabilizing. Society really matters a lot to any business, if the customers and prospective customers boycott your idea behind the products you sell, you will lose the entire business and market share.

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