Our favorite “edgy” brand of plain clothes is in the news today for a really stupid PR stunt. American Apparel is offering 20% off any purchase online if you reside in the Hurricane-ravaged states of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland as a promotion for those “bored” by the national disaster that is Sandy.
The company sent out a hurricane email blast about their promotion to all of their customer contacts in the area. You would think that American Apparel would take note that in the past profiting off disaster has been just that: a disaster. Profiting off of others’ losses in the end is probably going to (or at least should) get at least a few people fired from the company.
This is just attempt by American Apparel to stay relevant and in the news. From a company that takes racy photos of their product to keep edgy even this promotion comes as a surprise. With their owner continuously having to deal with sexual harassment cases you would think that someone at the top of the company would have put the kibosh on this idea.
So there you have it folks, if you live in the area affected by the storm and want to buy overpriced products go for it and enter SANDYSALE when you check out.
Follow Kevin Camps @kpcamps.
October 30, 2012 at 4:37 pm, American Apparel Gives ‘Hurricane Sandy’ Discounts: A Case of Bad Taste? (PHOTOS) | Twirlit said:
[...] Is this an attempt by American Apparel to stay relevant? The clothing brand has had its fair share of controversies. Read: racy and “edgy” promo ads. Now they’ve provoked new backlash, and it isn’t for their crotch-centric photos. They’re offering a Hurricane Sandy discount, which gives hurricane-afflicted residents 20% off their merchandise. Photo credit: @americanapparel/Twitter, Via: Business Insider Via: deathandtaxesmag [...]
October 30, 2012 at 6:53 pm, Katrina Ex-FEMA Head Thinks Obama Responded to Sandy Too Quickly said:
[...] Apparel sent out an emailing advertising a Hurricane Sale promotion “In case you’re bored during the storm.” This is how a company based in irony shows [...]
October 30, 2012 at 9:40 pm, American Apparel’s offensive Hurricane Sandy sale | said:
[...] reaction: Wherever this came from, it’s “a really stupid PR stunt,”says Kevin Camps at Death and Taxes. “From a company that takes racy photos of their product to keep edgy, even this promotion [...]
October 31, 2012 at 5:59 pm, Nicole Johnson said:
Tacky.