Adrants Ponders Dov/Julie Paradox

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For Dov Charney, who's bowing out of American Apparel in pursuit of his own manifest destiny, office life has been a source of both business and pleasure.

Short of being a lumberjack or Chuck Norris, Dov Charney is a king among men. Dov Charney:

* Masturbates regularly in front of reporters
* Gets freaky with colleagues (thanks, Jewlicious)
* Pushes American Apparel's squeaky clean clothes with skanky adverts
* Still manages to position American Apparel as an ethical business that pays good wages and poses no harm to overseas workers

While Julie Roehm fights for footstools over in Pariah-ville, she must be shaking her fist at what Dov got away with over the course of his career, also behind the guise of a similarly apple pie all-American style company.

Granted, American Apparel ain't all sex, and it isn't the first brand to use R-rated tactics to pull in a fickle demo.

Are we looking at a double standard? And double standards aside, is America just too uptight about this sex stuff?

by Angela Natividad    Feb-22-07   Click to Comment   
Topic: Brands, Social, Trends and Culture   

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Comments



Comments

Depends on the brand and the audience no? AA isn't an name that comes to my mind if we're talking family brands like Wal-Mart or Haynes, Fruit of the Loom, etc. That being said, fashion always pushes things more and I expect provocative stuff from a Diesel, etc.

It's clear Wal-Mart runs a tighter ship, tolerates less. From reading about Dov love though, that’s pretty fucked up for a guy to get off in front of a reporter, who also clearly has issues she needs to work out for tolerating it–eight times.

Posted by: makethelogobigger on February 22, 2007 4:33 PM

Um.

Dov worked for a niche fashion brand that targets disaffected members of Gen Y. Which, by the way, was a privately-held company that he founded himself.

Julie worked for Wal-Mart.

I really don't see see the comparison.

Posted by: rushing on February 22, 2007 4:34 PM

Find an article on sex toys in The Village Voice and wham! there is a AA banner! Bulls-eye! check out: Dangerous Dildos! and there is AA's ad!

WallMart's target according to their Mo's and AMD
are age: 25-54

AA target is also well defined: 14-34

Steve, thanks for this smile maker of a post!

LOL.

Posted by: Lester on February 23, 2007 11:33 AM

You need to check your facts. Dov had a consentual relationship with ONE reporter, and yes he did masturbate in front of her, but she neglected to report the things she did in front of him.
Secondly, he has in no way "bowed out" of American Apparel. Endeavor is the SPAC that aquired American Apparel, with Dov remaining as CEO and having the majority of shares in the company. Endeavor will desolve and become American Apparel, thus Dov will have actually aquired just as much of Endevour as Jon Ledecky and Eric Watson have aquired of American Apparel.

Posted by: krystal on February 23, 2007 4:19 PM

Um.

I agree with "rushing". I've yet to hear anyone in advertising mention AA without also saying "70's porn". Whose f*ed up analysis says this is an All-American company?

silly post. AA is/was silly company.

[also think their shirts could use some tips from clothing designers from color, fabric, and especially style perspectives, regardless of fit]

Posted by: marcom on February 23, 2007 5:46 PM