Abercrombie’s Epic Comeback
Just as trends go in and out of public favor, clothing brands endure rises and falls in popularity. Some brands fade into oblivion, while others adjust, redirect, and bounce back better than before. One brand in particular that is bursting back onto the scene after a rough patch is Abercrombie.
Many of us can vividly recall shopping at Abercrombie & Fitch growing up. Sexy images of shirtless male models lined the walls, and the intense aroma of cologne filled the air as you stumbled in the dimly lit store, searching for the perfect polo tee. Back in the late 2000s to mid 2010s, Abercrombie’s target customer was the “high school cool kid.” Abercrombie’s clothes served as a popularity marker and the brand gave off an exclusive, cool kid energy. We all know the infamous quote from former Abercrombie CEO Mike Jeffries about how the brand only caters to “good-looking people” and how “We don’t market to anyone other than that.”
The rebranded, 2022 version of Abercrombie is a far cry from the description above. In 2017, Fran Horowitz was appointed as the new CEO. With the controversial Jeffries gone, Abercrombie began its slow and steady rebrand. The original Abercrombie shoppers are now
adults, so the brand decided to grow with their customers, now catering to the 21 and up crowd. Ditching the preppy surfer vibe, Abercrombie is now known for its wardrobe basics and timeless style. There has also been a push in recent years to make the brand more diverse size-wise and ethnicity-wise. This can be seen in Abercrombie’s advertising, as well as their increasing size selection. In the past, Abercrombie clothing only went up to a size Large. Today, the size selection ranges from XXS-XXXL.
This new era of Abercrombie is more than just a new target audience, however. There has also been a shift in clothing style, quality, and design. The cotton t-shirts donning the words “Abercrombie” in stitched lettering have been replaced with neutral-toned, timeless basics.
A shift in marketing is also responsible for Abercrombie’s successful rebrand. Horowitz made it a priority to utilize social media, specifically TikTok. The brand currently works with influencers, a very popular marketing method that’s proven to be successful. In addition, Abercrombie uses social media to launch campaigns, such as The Abercrombie Equity Project, a social justice project focused on uplifting marginalized voices. On Instagram, the brand highlights its new company values of purpose, inclusivity, and creating a sense of belonging under the title #AbercrombieToday. Social media has also provided the brand with a lot of free publicity, specifically from non-sponsored hauls. The hashtag #abercrombiehaul alone has garnered over 56.9M views on TikTok! With the changes in target consumer, clothing quality and style, and marketing strategy, it’s no surprise that Abercrombie is climbing its way back to the top.
