Picking up where Diesel and Calvin Klein left off in the 90s, American Apparel loves creating controversy with their advertising.
Unfortunately this time they may have taken it too far. One of the ads released circa 2007 showed Woody Allen parodied as a rabbi without his permission, and he sued. In May, the case reached a settlement and Allen was awarded $5 million by the retailer.
I guess the shockertising went too far this time.
Implications - Consumers are looking for advertisements that contain an element of popular culture. Products that feature a certain figure in the media appeal to shoppers who want to see their favorite characters associated with certain brands.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Controversial Advertising
- Opportunities for brands to generate buzz and attention by pushing the boundaries of traditional advertising and creating controversy.
- Pop Culture Branding
- Potential for brands to leverage popular figures and characters from media to create associations and appeal to consumers.
- Legal Challenges in Advertising
- Growing importance for brands to ensure proper permissions and avoid potential lawsuits when using celebrity or public figure parodies in advertising.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Advertising and Marketing
- Disruptive innovation opportunities for creative agencies and marketing firms to explore new, controversial approaches to advertising campaigns.
- Apparel and Fashion
- Potential for fashion brands to collaborate with popular figures in media to create unique and attention-grabbing collections.
- Intellectual Property Law
- Increased demand for legal services specializing in intellectual property rights and permissions, particularly in the advertising industry.
