American Apparel Campaign Analysis

In June 2014 the founder of American Apparel Dov Charney has been ousted as chairman of the company and finally fired in December of that year as well. Since then American Apparel has been on a lot of magazine covers because of their controversy, but as well because of the time it took American Apparel to finally fire Dov Charnay because of his misconduct in the company and outside concerning the way the he dealt with the company’s money but as well the way he acted with his employees and the media. Since that time, the media’s keep going back to the controversial campaigns that set the brand American Apparel apart from all the others similar brands, concerning the target audience and the prices. American Apparel is going bankrupt in this year

Before the campaign is explain, it is important to outline the main aspects of the American Apparel brand. American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor and retailer of basic apparel. It is interesting to point out that, because for example most of their models are employees of American Apparel and that their campaigns’ are mostly photographed in the building of the manufacturing and their marketing section is in the same building as well. They are environmentally friendly (“American apparel”, n.d ), as using solar panels and re-using residues of fabrics as many times as possible. The products that American Apparel is selling are from underwear to jackets, to any age, they as well sell accessories and bags and other brands that fit their image. The other brands they are usually selling are accessories that fit their culture and image of the company such as watched made by Casio or Swatch, water bottles by

The main message of this campaign is Pantytime, it is a very minimal message accompanied by a provocative colorful image, which enhances the fact that America Apparel are controversial and not afraid of being it.

The theme for all these visuals has been “Pantytime”, along with their special promotion written under the image concerning underwear, with their special offers and new arrivals with as well information about their retail locations and enhancing the fact that it was made in the United States in downtown LA. The main idea a viewer can get of this campaign is that the women, is in a sexual position waiting for another person that is above her as seen in figure 2 or behind her as seen in figure 3, this can clearly shock the audience, but from the advertising side it is clearly made for this purpose. American Apparel became publicly known in countries, where it is not even sold in stores. Figure 4, American Apparel Pantytime campaign from their