#FaceYourFierce

Figure 1: Abercrombie and Fitch new campaign for cologne Fierce

At the beginning of the year Abercrombie and Fitch relaunched their infamous cologne Fierce aimed at millennial shoppers. The brand has gone all out on its first integrated marketing communications campaign, #FaceYourFierce, focusing on inner strength in the face of adversity.

Figure 2: Fierce defined as togetherness

Recognised for their controversial campaigns surrounding the cologne, such as always using a shirtless and ripped teen male body on the bottle (Bloomberg, 2015), the brand gained a reputation for using sex appeal to target teen customers. This campaign emulates the brands attempt in rethinking and reworking their brand image. Highlighting diversity and inclusivity #FaceYourFierce is a wholesome advertising approach by Abercrombie and Fitch. Allowing them to have a genuine conversation with their consumers and reflect what society aspires to be (Posner, 2015, p.147).

Carey Krug, senior vice president of Abercrombie and Fitch, said its time for the brand to present a “softer and more vulnerable face” (Palmieri, 2019). This is echoed in the diverse, vulnerable and sensitive cast of millennials (Handbury, 2019). The bottle of the fragrance still displays a shirtless ripped male; however, it has been transformed from a photoshopped teen male body to an untouched torso of a real athlete. This makeover emphasises the ultimate message of the campaign: the importance of inner strength, authenticity and perseverance when reaching a goal.

Figure 3, 4 and 5: Fierce's three limited-edition bottles

The campaign launched three limited-edition bottles in May, September and November with the torsos of athletes all possessing the new traits aligned with the fragrance. Including footballer Romelu Lukaku, Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum and Ryan Garcia, an America boxer.

Romelu Lukaku immediately resonated with #FaceYourFierce campaign. The athlete states “as a professional athlete, I don’t often get to discuss aspects of inner strength and, in a game fueled by passion, inner strength is just as important as physical strength.” (Abercrombie & Fitch, 2019).

Figure 6, 7 and 8: Three of the young men and women defining what Fierce is to them

Across all platforms a total of 20 young men and women, from different backgrounds, were shown. All sharing their own stories about how they face their fierce and how they explore the unexpected and emotional factors of inner strength. The campaign is only successful to an extent. The film only highlights what being fierce means to each individual whist showing how diverse the cast is whilst the three limited bottles only really show a ripped male body. Its falling point is the vagueness of the inclusivity component. Consumers need to expand their knowledge about the campaign to realise that an LGBTQ activist, a male pro cheerleader and a female surfer are a part of it and to understand the meaning behind the three limited-edition bottles.

The campaign encourages customer-engaged marketing. Indicating the brand is continuously creating customer participation by being “part of consumers’ conversations and lives, shaped by brand conversation, experiences and community” (Kotler and Armstrong, 2017). The campaign does just this by encouraging consumers to share their own ‘Face Their Fierce’ moments across social media channels. Along with this, consumers are encouraged to share how they embody fierceness.

Go visit Abercrombie and Fitch today and get your very own limited edition bottle of Fierce.

Figure 9: One of the definitions of what fierce is

Reference List

Bloomberg. 2015. These are The Last Ads You’ll Ever See at Abercrombie and Fitch. [Online]. [Accessed 4 November 2019]. Available From: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/news-analysis/last-abs-youll-ever-see-abercrombie-fitch

Garner, S. 2019. Abercrombie & Fitch Relaunches Its Iconic ‘Fierce’ Fragrance. [Online]. [Accessed 21 October 2019]. Available From: https://mr-mag.com/abercrombie-fitch-relaunches-its-iconic-fierce-fragrance/

Handbury, M. 2019. Abercrombie is relaunching its pungent cologne, which haunted shoppers for years after it was sprayed incessantly in stores, with a new inclusive ad campaign. [Online]. [Accessed 21 October 2019]. Available From: https://www.businessinsider.com/abercrombie-relaunches-fierce-cologne-new-ad-2019-1?r=US&IR=T

Kotler, P and Armstrong, G. 2017. Principles of Marketing. [Online]. 17th ed. Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson Education. [Accessed 11 November 2019]. Available From: https://www.vlereader.com/Reader?ean=9781292220239

Posner, H. 2015. Marketing Fashion: Strategy, Branding and Promotion. 2nd ed. London: Laurence King Publishing Ltd.

Palmieri, J. 2019. The Faces of Fierce Feature People from All Walks of Life. [Online]. [Accessed 17 November 2019]. Available From: https://wwd.com/business-news/media/abercrombie-fitchs-new-ads-address-overcoming-adversity-1202992253/

Pickton, D. and Broderick, A. 2005. Integrated Marketing Communications. 2nd ed. Harlow: FT / Prentice Hall

WWD. 2019. The Best Fashion Ad Campaigns of Spring 2019. [Online]. [Accessed 21 October 2019]. Available From: https://wwd.com/business-news/media/gallery/the-best-fashion-ad-campaigns-of-spring-1202936664/

Figure List

Figure 1: Abercrombie & Fitch. 2019. Abercrombie's new campaign. [Online]. [Accessed 5 November 2019]. Available From: https://www.businessinsider.com/abercrombie-relaunches-fierce-cologne-new-ad-2019-1?r=US&IR=T

Figure 2: Abercrombie & Fitch. 2019. Malibu Volunteer Firefighters #FaceYourFierce. [Facebook]. 11 February [Accessed 17 December 2019]. Available From: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=370781403755714

Figure 3: Abercrombie & Fitch. 2019. Jayson Tatum Fierce Cologne. [Online]. [Accessed 17 November 2019]. Available From: https://www.abercrombie.com/shop/uk/p/fierce-cologne-25335319?categoryId=63162700&seq=01&faceout=prod

Figure 4: Abercrombie & Fitch. 2019. The Fierce Bottle No One Has Yet. [Online]. [Accessed 16 November 2019]. Available From: https://emailtuna.com/abercrombie.com/1094715

Figure 5: Abercrombie & Fitch. 2019. Ryan Garcia Fierce Cologne. [Online]. [Accessed 17 November 2019]. Available From: https://www.abercrombie.com/shop/uk/p/ryan-garcia-fierce-cologne-30039320?categoryId=63162700&seq=01&faceout=prod

Figure 6: Abercrombie & Fitch Company. 2019. Romelu Lukaku, Brianna Hildebrand, and Keiynan Londsdale as the new Faces of Fierce. [Online]. [Accessed 5 November 2019]. Available From: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9272fca-fc92-425b-837d-b4bd6f5a5c71/en

Figure 7: Abercrombie & Fitch Company. 2019. Romelu Lukaku, Brianna Hildebrand, and Keiynan Londsdale as the new Faces of Fierce. [Online]. [Accessed 5 November 2019]. Available From: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9272fca-fc92-425b-837d-b4bd6f5a5c71/en

Figure 8: Abercrombie & Fitch Company. 2019. Romelu Lukaku, Brianna Hildebrand, and Keiynan Londsdale as the new Faces of Fierce. [Online]. [Accessed 5 November 2019]. Available From: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a9272fca-fc92-425b-837d-b4bd6f5a5c71/en

Figure 9: Glick, R. 2019. Abercrombie & Fitch Launches Pride Collection Pop-Up. [Online]. [Accessed 17 November 2019]. Available From: https://coffeenclothes.com/editorial/abercrombie-fitch-launches-pride-collection-pop-up/