Editorial

Can a company that has built its corporate identity around blatant perversity be influenced by concerned consumers to change its ways? In the case of Abercrombie & Fitch, the trendy clothier known in recent years for truly pornographic catalog, the answer seems to be a surprising, "Yes!"

In 1999, A&F began an aggressive, perverse marketing campaign aimed at attracting teens and college students via a quarterly "magalog" — part magazine, part product catalog — which featured as a calculated strategy sexually suggestive photos of nude young men and women. Within weeks, concerned consumers — including a lieutenant governor of Illinois — began an education effort which included a boycott of A&F.

The perversity strategy had sunk to its lowest late last year with the release of the Christmas catalog, The Christmas Field Guide. The National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families noted some of the more outrageous elements of this edition:

–Mark Millar, a comic book writer, mixed sexual perversity with blasphemy against our Lord. In an interview, Millar said, "My idea is that you have the Old Testament, the New Testament and this is the Final Testament," calling it "a thing about Jesus coming back as a 12-year-old kid ... pontificating" about whether or not he should commit a certain sex act.

–An interview with Sari Locker, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Sex, notes, "College is the time when you have the greatest opportunity to have sex [and] the highest number of potential partners...."

–A separate article on "Group Sex" advises students on a "pleasant and supersafe alternative" to group sex.

After a storm of protest from pro-family groups - most prominently, Focus on the Family’s James Dobson - A&F unexpectedly announced that it was pulling the catalog from store shelves four days before the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Later, the company announced it was ditching the racy catalog altogether.

After publishing four editorials over the last two years criticizing A&F and urging Florida Baptists to join a growing boycott against the company (July 12, 2001, Nov. 8, 2001, May 30, 2002 and Dec. 4, 2003, and brief updates Dec. 11, 2003 and Dec. 18, 2003), I was heartened by the news, but still wary of the recklessly irresponsible company. After all, it was the not the first time A&F pulled back from its perverse strategy, only to return to its jaded ways.

Nevertheless, the first evidence that A&F has indeed begun to change its marketing strategy is now in. American Decency Association reports that the Spring 2004 catalog is now out and "contains no nudity. The catalog is overwhelmingly improved." ADA’s Bill Johnson writes to fellow A&F boycotters and activists, "Together, we have made a difference."

Although dropping nudity from its catalog is a major success, we should not be confused about the nature of this business. Like most major companies, sex is still a significant component of A&F. No company which has identified itself so thoroughly with indecency will easily clean up its corporate culture. Even without the nudity, A&F marketing still has a long way to go before it can be seen as safe for families. As ADA’s Johnson notes, it will be necessary to continue to monitor diligently A&F to ascertain how completely and permanently this new approach is implemented.

Still, those who have previously complained to the company about its practices should now offer appreciation to:

Michael Jeffries,Chairman and CEO
Abercrombie & Fitch
6301 Fitch Path
New Albany, OH 43054
Phone: 614-283-6500
Abercrombie@abercrombie.com
www.abercrombie.com

The early evidence of change at A&F demonstrates, as ADA’s Johnson notes, Christians can make a difference in our sex-saturated culture. Furthermore, even when success seems impossible, we are still obligated to speak prophetically God’s standards of biblical morality. As the Baptist Faith and Message puts it: "In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography. ... Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love" (Article XV, "The Christian and the Social Order).

We do not have to stand back and shake our heads at the depravity in our nation. Let’s continue to attempt to make a difference.