1. American
Apparel

2. American
Apparel
Changes
Brand S.W.O.T
Image S.W.O.T
Brand Objectives
Campaign Messages
Workplace Ethics
New Communication Strategies
Visual Identity
Adverts Moodboard
Calander
Budget
Measurment of Success

3. American Apparel is a vertically
integrated manufacturer, distributor
and retailer, based in downtown
Los Angeles, CA. Within our business
model, knitting, dyeing, cutting,
sewing, photography, marketing and
design all happen in the company’s
facilities in Los Angeles, creating a
shorter turnaround and a greater
ability to service the need of our clients.
American Apparel operates the
largestfactoryintheUnitedStates,
at a time when most apparel
production has moved offshore.
We currently employ approxi-
mately 10,000 people globally
(about 5,000 in LA).
Our dye houses in downtown LA
allows us to test, develop and
implement new colours across
our product line, without delays
that many other manufactures
experience.
From our soft smooth cotton to
our innovative blends our fabric is
what gives our durable garments
it superior fit and makes them
ideal for customization and
embellishment.
American Apparel leverages art,
design and technology to advance
the business process, while
continuing to pioneer industry
standards of social and
environmental responsibility in
the workplace.

5. The Face of American Apparel is Changing...
American Apparel has long been established
as one of Americas trendiest brand with
quality, consistency in design and pioneer-
ing manufacturing traditions.
Today the brand is no longer exclusive for
young adults in urban cities, but has devel-
oped to a leading basic brand for people of
all ages, with both wholesale and retail
division globally.
However, the brand itself has had very little
transformation despite its growing expan-
sion into new countries and the current
market conditions.
It is time for a change in American Apparel
both in management and its visual identity.
Founder Dov Charney, that took the concept
of making plain clothes fashionable and
created the largest vertical integration opera-
tion in America, have decided to step down
as CEO and take a non-management creative
director role.
A new management with heavy retail store
experience will be introduce and take over
American Apparel to create a strong retail
environment and secure financial issues.
American Apparel’s origin leverage for art,
design and technology will still advance the
business process, while continuing to
pioneer industrial standards of social and
environmental responsibility to the workplace.
Doing so American Apparel can differentiate
itself as a forward thinking brand that reflects
AmericanApparel’s initiative to new and current
target markets through innovative and dynamic
change, whilst retaining what’s epitomizes the
brand: that of quality, liberated and consistency
in design.
American Apparel new management will
reassure financial stability and reposition the
brands current reputation. Change is visual
identity to its origin beliefs as a young,
freethinking and honest brand to cut the gape
between its current communication strategies
and the brand core values.
American
Apparel

6. S
- Brand fair play
- Leading sustainable business model
- Manufacture leading-edge
- Socially responsible
- Quality merchandise
- Focus on sustainable fashion and production
- Sweatshop free
- Trendsetter brand
- Cult status with large
consumer group
T
- Dov Charney poor judgement
- Financial issues
- Alienated costumers
- Rising cotton prices
- Failing sales
O
- Social good
- Communication with publics
- Product development to a better appeal to its customers
- Reposition current reputation on social media channels
- The advantage of online shopping
- Reassuring financial stability
W
- CEO Dov Charney and his mis-management
- Stock stability
- Hiring policies
- Undesirable Public image
- Financial reports
- Overexpansion
American Apparel
Brand

7. Image
T
- Sexual harassment and lawsuits
- Dov Charney behaviour and mis-management
- Other retail brand’s with stronger image/identity
- Financhial problems
W
- Slowly becoming an ironic representation
of exploitation
- Provocative advertising
techniques – porn related
- Unorthodox business practices
- Mixed message to consumers,
serious risk to the integrity of the company
O
- Re-brand AA core mission to
the public
- Move to a classier aesthetic
advertising strategy
- Change policies to create
new consumer groups
S
- Sweatshop free
- Made in USA
- Domestic fair labour practices
- Fair treatment to garment workers
- Young, freethinking and honest
American
Apparel

8. Brand
Objectives
- Make cooperated changes in management to
reposition current beliefs about American
Apparel, to be taken serious and seen as a
responsible brand by new investors and con-
sumer groups.
- Change current communication strategies to
restore American Apparel reputation and
become a desirable brand again.
- Reassuring financial stability, with less
external advertising, reduce cannibalization and
opening of new stores to fit
market conditions.
- Priorities American Apparel’s values inside
their innovative business model and develop a
strong persona as a leading sustainable
company with focus on environmental manu-
facturing production.

9. American
Apparel

11. Campaign
Messages
- Restore American Apparel’s reputation as
responsible, yet a youthful, freethinking and
colourful brand with changes in management
and store-to-store relationships.
- Cut external advertising to gain a less exposed
brand profile and focus on social media chan-
nels to drive current and new consumers to the
online store.
- Increase positive press coverage and create
awareness aroundAmericanApparel innovative
environmental policies as a sustainable
company.
American
Apparel

12. Workplace
Ethics
Campaign Messages:
- Make cooperated changes in management to
reposition current beliefs about American Ap-
parel. To be taken serious and seen as a respon-
sible brand by new investors and costumers.
- Reassuring financial stability, with less adver-
tising, reduce cannibalization and opening of
new stores to fit market conditions.
- Restore American Apparel reputation as a re-
sponsible, yet youthful, freethinking and honest
brand with new management and store-to-store
relationship to improve retail service experienc-
es.
It is time forAmericanApparel to create a strong
retail environment and become a responsible
company that is aware and connected with the
current market conditions. A new management
with strong experience in retail stores will be
introduced to operate American Apparel in
March 2013.
American Apparel founder Dov Charney will
step down as CEO and take a non-management
creative director role, both to change the brand
perceptions from new investors and to secure
the financial situation. The new management
will cut extrenal advertising, reduce cannibaliza-
tion and stop opening of new stores .
American Apparel must be taken as a responsi-
ble and aware brand to gain interest from new
investors.

13. American
Apparel
With the change in management a Workplace
Ethic Communication Campaign will be intro-
duced to secure employee’s happiness and
restore their beliefs in the corporation by creat-
ing safe working environment in retail store, to
avoid future harassment lawsuit and bad press.
Workplace Ethic Campaign will start in March
2012 with sensitivity training seminars, case
studies on policy shifts and informative videos
on website. Workshops will take place in May to
share employees experience and feelings about
the new policy.
American Apparel current costumer service po-
lices in store have been lacking to attract new
consumer and give them a retail experience they
want to share to others.
A friendlier greeting policy will be introduced
and employees will be encouraged to create a
young and freethinking environment inside their
stores. Monthly communication with manager
and corporation will be demanded.
Store activities and events will be held to cre-
ate awareness of the new polices. With key tra-
diional and new media present. Employees and
stores will be tested with secret shoppers and
evaluations from management and costumers.
American Apparel will gain a new reputation
for its new management and by improving cos-
tumer service inside stores, a larger consumer
group will be attracted and get to know Ameri-
can Apparel true identity, as a fun, honest and
freethinking brand.
The campaign will promote American Apparel
social responsibility and provide key media with
press release introducing new management and
new policy inside corporation. American Appar-
el employees will gain better working conditions
and greater corporate transparency.
The workplace ethic campaign will go over a pe-
riod of 12 months, but will also continue into the
future to keep employees updated and informed
about the brand employee and costumer poli-
cies.

14. Campaign Messages:
- Change current communication strategies to
restore American Apparel’s reputation and be-
come a desirable brand again.
- Cut external advertising to gain a less exposed
brand profile and focus on social media chan-
nels to drive current and new consumers to on-
line store.
American Apparel’s current communication
strategies and the company’s values has
developed a wide cape the last few years and
lost its meaning. Looking at their current
Facebook/Twitter account and advertising there
is little that links the company together. Giving
consumers and new investors a mixed message
of what American Apparel really stands for.
American Apparel communication strategies
needs to emphasize the company’s innovative
business model, their leverage in art, design and
technology and it’s strongly feel about impor-
tant political issues.
New
Communication
Strategy

15. American
Apparel
By building up a strong social media persona,
using channels as Facebook Timeline, Twitter,
Vimeo and American Apparel own community
website, American Apparel can restore their
current reputation and enlighten the brand core
values and innovative business model.
To improve this a social media team will be put
together to give weekly updates and news on all
social media channels and become American
Apparel’s main source of communication for
the first six months during the 12-month period.
Facebook Timeline will be launched in mid-
March 2012 and include American Apparel high-
lights through out their history and up till today.
The Facebook page will be fully operated by the
social media team and won’t allow followers to
post on wall.
All post will be distributed by American Ap-
parel and only allow interaction from followers
in comment boxes. The page will then have a
clean look and represent American Apparel as a
responsible, but current brand.
Social media will become a big part of the
brand future campaigns and drive consumers
to American Apparel online store with visual as
teasers of new products, behind-the-scene im-
agery from new campaigns and videos that will
re-educate consumers about the brand.
The Internet will provide the brand with an un-
limited wealth of opportunities, reaching a wider
audience in a cost effective and efficient way.
This will be American Apparel main source of
communication and interaction between the
brand and its target consumer for the first six
month of the campaign.
Promoting through social networking sites
such as Facebook and Twitter will be a relatively
cost free form of communication and an effec-
tive form of media to target American Apparel
demographic audience of 20-35 years.

16. Visual
Identity
Campaign Messages:
- Increase positive press coverage and create
awareness around American Apparel’s inno-
vative environmental polices as a sustainable
company.
- Priorities American Apparel’s values inside
their innovative business model and develop a
strong persona as a leading sustainable com-
pany with focus on environmental manufactur-
ing production.
- Change American Apparel current visual iden-
tity and bring it back to its origin values as a fun,
freethinking and honest brand.
American Apparel cult status has been a vital
part of the brand’s survival and continued suc-
cess, both at home and abroad that realizing its
target demographic. Over the past decade, the
company has slowly moved from being pure
novelty to a highly respected fashion and social
emblem by it costumers.
This transformation takes place only in an age
where heightened political interest amongst
younger people is especially prominent. Con-
sumers that buy American Apparel are able to
identify themselves in the message the brand
stands for.

17. American Apparel needs to take advantage of
this and reposition their reputation and brand
identity to their actually beliefs and not use their
out-dated shock-tactics, that only gain them bad
press and don’t fit to their long achieving goal
as a sustainable vertical integrated company.
Higher product price has been crucial to keep
the domestic manufacturing safe and beneficial
conditions for workers. Los Angeles Mayor An-
tonio Villariaigost has praisedAmericanApparel
for not outsourcing their company and keeping
their producing in downtown Los Angels.
From March 2012 American Apparel will cut
advertising with 70% and carefully place ad-
verts in media that target the brand demograph-
ic audience. Social media channels will be the
main source of communication for the first six
months.
American Apparel is currently overexposed and
need to reposition their brand image by taking a
silent profile for six month to let peoples
perceptions about American Apparel change
and be ready for the new visual campaign.
AmericanApparel will collaborate with high pro-
filed bloggers in the U.S. to re-launch their “Sus-
tainable Edition” label that feature 100% organic
cotton. The label stands form American Apparel
core values and empathise the band hard work
for a sustainable manufacturing company.
This advertising campaign will be the start of
American Apparel new visual identity. Profes-
sional photographer and stylist will be used to
create a fun and freethinking imagery with focus
on the products and the bloggers personality.
The photo shoot will be taken place in June on
location in Los Angels and inside American Ap-
parel manufactory in Downtown Los Angeles.
Campaign material as behind the scene and a
tour inside the manufactory with the blogger will
be published on social media channels in July.
The campaign will be launch in traditional and
new media in August and costumer events will
be held in key store location in Williamsburg,
Florida, Philadelphia and Los Angels.
Where guest are encourage to show up in out-
fits that highlight their take on American Ap-
parel to enter a competition to win a visit to the
manufactory in Los Angels hosted by the blog-
ger. The winner will be chosen in September
and invited to the manufactory in Los Angels in
November; the social media team will cover it
on all channels.
The blogger will also collaborate with American
Apparel for the Spring 2013 campaign.
American
Apparel

18. Moodboard New Visual Identity

20. Calendar
March 2012
- Introduce new management
- Start Workplace Ethics Campaign
- Contain a low exposure profile, cut external ads with 70%
- Launch Facebook Timeline – with high lights of companys business
- Introduce new management for key traditional and new media
April
- Build up a strong social media profile with often updates and teasers
of new products and news within American Apparel
- Workshop and seminars with employees
May
- Launch new employee polices – with secret shopper in stores
- Evaluate process
June
- Start collaboration with blogger
- Shoot new advert with professional photographer
July
- Behind the scene shoot on facebook/Twitter/Website
- Teaser video with blogger
August
- Launch “Sustainable Edition” campiagn photo
- Create instore events in key areas, cover everything on facebook/twitter
- Invite key press and bloggers/celeb
- Have blogger on key talkshows in America: Ellen, The Late Show etc.
- Release ads in key media

21. American
Apparel
September
- Employee evaluation
- Evaluate success of campaign
November
- In depth coverage of AA sustainable beliefs on social media channels
- Tour with blogger in Los Angeles manufactury
- Spring ad shoot for follow up campaign
December
- Social media campaign for Christmas shopping
January 2013
- behind the scene of new campaign
- social media campaign
- celebrate the new year with an event
Februarry
- Release spring add in key traditional and new media
- Evaluation of full campaign
- Continue new employee policies in future campaigns
Social Media Channels
Teasers and behind-the-scene imagery
New product in store/online shop
Product of the week
Celebs in American Apparel
Manufactury worker profile
Charity project

22. Budget
Workplace Ethics
- 20,000 to seminars and trainers
- 10,000 developement of video
and material
- 5,000 to workshops
- 2,000 to media kit
New Communication Strategy
- 30,000 to social media team
- 10,000 to development of
material to social channels
Visual Identity
- 40,000 to professional
photographer
- 20,000 to launch event
- 60,000 to advert placement in
key media
- 5,000 to distrinbute competition
- 2,000 to coverage from social
media
Total Cost of Campaign:
- £ 195,000

23. American
Apparel
To measure this communication campaign
we can look at the average amount of visi-
tor’s and followers on the different social
media channels, as they are the main source
of communication. Interaction and follower’s
comment can show if they like the regular
update from the brand and give an idea of
what consumer wants.
Programs as Google Alert can easily show
how much press coverage the new commu-
nication campaign has gained and how much
the public talks about the campaign.
Criteria for Success
and Measurement Tools
Result from online sales during the campaign
can also measure how effective the campaign
has been.
To see if the campaign has reached its main
objectives, can be measured in press cover-
age and overall sale result.
The Workplace Ethic campaign can be meas-
ured with focus groups and questionaire with
consumers. Analysis of press coverage, what
reactions comes from the media?
Is the brand still a target for bad press?

24. American
Apparel
Renate Lyse Laastad
BA Fashion Public Relation
Year 2
LAA10310448