ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH Case Solution And Analysis, HBR Case Study Solution & Analysis of Harvard Case Studies

ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH Case Study Solution

Introduction

The case illustrates the Abercrombie brand strategy to pursue the exclusivity and differentiated value proposition in the market. The company offers the selected range of sizes in jeans and shirts and targets the sexy and smart segment in the market.In doing so, it reinforces the conventional stereo typed definition of beauty which is fair and smart for females and Masculine and meaty for man.In pursuing the strategy for the particular segment, it does not include the size XL and XXL for women which depicts the strategy not to cater the plus size women through its brand.

Such strategy has created a negative brand image in the market with media outlining the negative strategy and sero typing of the brand to operate in the market. Such media negativity has affected the brand image and over all sales of the company.In. such particular situation, the company have two options to either include the plus size range in the product line or to remain the status-quo in the market securing the brand image and exclusivity of the brand in the market. Though these options may offer some settlement ground to the brand, however each option has the repercussions in the short and long run for Abercrombie.

Analysis

Since the company has successfully adopted the strategy of exclusivity for its brand and has gained substantial brand recognition and brand value, it is better for the company to opt the status Quo option as the brand strategy to pursue the operations in the existing market. It is due to the fact, that if the company would strategically address the media concerns and incorporate the findings in the operation it will lose the brand exclusivity and value proposition in the market and will dilute the brand recognition and positioning of the brand in the customer mind.Since it targets the “fit” and smart population, the inclusion of the plus size might disgruntle the existing customer base and may drive the loyalty away from the brand.

In addition, since the company pursues the focused strategy to target the end user, the diversion to other target markets might dilute the brand equity and brand value and thus may drive the customer away from the brand that might ultimately drop the sales and may place the brand in no specific category.

Ethics School of Thoughts

There are different perspectives proposed to address or degrade the body shaming factors, obesity body types and looks of a person to become acceptable in the society. Among these school of thought Bayer proposed that the people should not be bullied for being fat or plus size, since it leads to the low-self-esteem, low appetite, depression, suicide attacks, low confidence to face public and low success to pursue the career, above all it leads to no loss of weight which further increases the tension and depression among the individuals being bullied for body shaming.According to the ethical school of thought, each individual has its own body type and thus develops different body shapes which cannot be criticized as the definition of beauty is not smart and thin but being happy and healthy (BADERO, 2011).

Another school of thought proposed that being Chubby is not cute, rather it may lead to type-2 diabetes, obesity, long term heart issues,cholesterol and blood pressure. According to this particular school of thought, every person should remain and maintain its body weight according the BMI (Bodymassindex).The articular school of thought connected health with being fit in terms of physical activeness and mental health.It also proposed that skinny is not beautiful and fit into the definition of healthy rather the right adherence with the BMI is regarded as fit and beautiful. (Rogers, 2010)

On the other hand, a school though the aded by the female’s philanthropists suggested that beauty has no definition, everyone is smart and sexy in its own skin and body size.The School of thought proposed that it is one’s own exercise to opt the particular lifestyle and eating habits that makes the individual happy, and it is own choices to wear any things he/she finds attractive for him or herself. Though being fit is good, however there are no certain standards to meet in order to become fit. (Wiley, 2013)

Another school of thought proposed by the Greek Activist suggests that obesity is not the only due to over-eating and unhealthy life style but it also results as the hormonal disturbance, thyroid glands malfunctions, asthma and other related medical issues.Since these are the eminent facts of health, the definition of fit again diverts from a particular size body to healthy and active physical body and sound mind(NEAGU, 2015).

ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH Harvard Case Solution & Analysis

Lastly, the European school of thought greatly obstructs the defaming of body plus sizes through public and through model shows. The particular school of thought suggests that the specific “body fit” definition differs from culture to culture, hence in American Culture the huge large women are generally regarded as average women however the same women in Asian and European Region are regarded as the plus size women or sometimes regarded as obese.Hence body shaming is a cultural issue(HBR, 2009)...................

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