In news that will shock no one, an American Apparel ad is making people angry. The week started off on a positive note for the brand that prides itself on being made in the good ‘ole US of A. In a print ad featured exclusively in VICE, the company celebrated the women in its company, using pictures of real employees with text explaining that “women have always been in charge at American Apparel.” It goes on to list the names of women who work at all levels of the company, stating, “women make up 55 percent of our global workforce (sorry, guys) and an even higher percentage of our leadership and executive roles.”
Even if it’s being used as a marketing ploy, I’m incredibly supportive of any company that has ladies in charge (like our very own Her Campus!). Many others feel the same, and initially, this ad appeared to be evidence of a new direction for a company that has angered many for sexual harassment and overly sexualized campaigns, both courtesy of the incredibly creepy founder Dov Charney.
So what’s the problem? Well, on the bright side, Charney finally lost his job as the Director of Making Everyone Feel Uncomfortable, but a lot of people aren’t happy with new CEO Paula Schneider. In an attempt to cut costs from the struggling company, lots of employees have been laid off... including several people featured in the advertisement. #Awkward. The tip comes from an anonymous American Apparel employee, who contacted Refinery29 to break the unhappy news. Now people are asking how AA thinks its okay to keep using the names of people who have gotten the ax—in an ad that aims to empower those very women.
Regardless of the reasons, running a campaign showcasing fired employees is a lot like posting a #mcm of your ex. The picture might be cute, but you’ve got to suck it up and hit “delete.”