Abercrombie & Fitch often displays images of young men and women, their target audience, in a variety of poses that are typical of people of this age group. They can be seen in hundreds of thousands of places in magazines and on the web, yet A & F is being targeted by various official agencies that make judgments about the appropriateness of such photos.
One manager was asked to take images down, including one of young men walking through a field, their shirts off, and one man adjusting his jeans which had fallen a bit to reveal part of him bum and another photo of a topless woman covering her breasts with her hand.
Censorship Rises Again
Cops Remove Abercrombie & Fitch Display, Arrest Manager
Trend Themes
1. Increased Censorship - Opportunities for disruptive innovation exist in developing new platforms or technologies that enable more open and inclusive forms of expression, while still respecting societal standards.
2. Targeted Advertising - Disruptive innovation opportunities exist in finding alternative and creative ways for companies to reach their target audience without running into issues of censorship or appropriateness.
3. Challenging Societal Norms - Opportunities for disruptive innovation lie in creating platforms or campaigns that challenge and redefine traditional ideas of appropriateness and censorship.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Retail - Disruptive innovation possibilities exist in creating new retail experiences that cater to diverse consumer preferences and avoid potential censorship issues.
2. Advertising and Marketing - Opportunities for disruptive innovation can be found in developing creative and unconventional advertising strategies that effectively reach target audiences without facing censorship challenges.
3. Technology and Social Media - Disruptive innovation can occur in the development of new platforms and algorithms that balance freedom of expression with community guidelines, providing a more inclusive social media experience.