It’s no secret that sex sells.

Clothing retailer American Apparel (AA) has long been utilizing this technique for its advertising campaigns. The company is infamous for its overtly sexual print ads of models advertising lingerie and AA’s other items of clothing.

Although other lingerie retailers, like Victoria’s Secret, also produce ads with skin-baring models, AA is notorious for going even further. Certain ads are extremely provocative and depict partially or fully nude models. AA sometimes uses the same controversial, sexual approach even for clothes which aren’t lingerie, especially if the model is female.

Aside from the obvious problems arising from such racy ads (exposing children to inappropriate images, offending certain audiences), the ads also proliferate and perpetuate sexism. In an ad for a jacket or hoodie, a male model will usually be fully dressed, while a female model is more sexualized. In fact, some ads don’t even feature the model’s face, instead focusing entirely on the clothing item and surrounding skin. Female models are therefore objectified and dehumanized, viewed simply as sexual objects.

 

 

So how do the ads fit into AA’s marketing campaign? One of AA’s selling points is that its clothes are sweatshop free; it’s brand identity builds off this, so AA is portrayed as an honest company that believes in social responsibility and fair practices. The ads tie in with the brand’s image: models are either AA employees or “real people”. The ads are simple and honest: excessive Photoshopping is rare. It’s for this reason that AA ads, although controversial, are often applauded and awarded in the marketing field.

AA conveniently seems to forget its commitment to fair, ethical practices when it comes to the objectification of women. AA’s CEO knows, after all: sex(ism) sells.

References:

http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/awards.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/american-apparels-unisex-ads-2013-5