American

Apparel Public Relations Plan IMC 618 Amanda N. Byrd

Table of Contents
Executive Summary Company Background Situation Analysis 3 4 7 8 9 11 14 14 16 17 19 23 24 25 26 28

Byrd 2

Core Problem Statement Key Publics

Primary and Secondary Messages Campaign Goal

Campaign Objectives Campaign Strategies Campaign Tactics

Examples of Five Tactics Calendar of PR Activities Budget

Evaluation Plan

Personal Assessment References

Byrd 3

Executive Summary
American Apparel is a clothing retailer for young adults based in downtown LA, and it is the largest clothing manufacturer in the United States. It is a company that has achieved fast growth and success. This is due to its unusual modular manufacturing process, urban style of design, sustainable business practices, and generous worker benefits. The company has come under public criticism regarding its questionable work

environment and lax policies. CEO Dov Charney has fought three separate lawsuits alleging sexual harassment from former employees, and he has made many public statements that call into question not only his value system, but that of his company. This type of behavior has put the position of American Apparel as a leader in ethical treatment of workers into question among its key publics: employees, media, and Board of Directors and investors. This campaign is built around addressing this problem to improve the companys

relationships with these essential publics and to have lasting success on the issue through implementation of sound policies and good practice. It is important that the employees within an organization support who they are working for, that the media has the correct information to research and report, and that the Board of Directors and investors are confident in the internal stability. Through proper analysis and strategizing, American Apparel will be able to gradually replace poor relationships with confident interaction both internally and externally regarding their ethics and treatment of employees. Following are recommendations for an effective public relations campaign that solves the core problem facing American Apparel.

Company Background

Byrd 4

American Apparel is a retailer of casual clothing targeted at young adults. Dov Charney,

CEO and Founder, has built his company based on fair labor, racy ads, and a sexually charged corporate culture (Palmeri, para. 1). They manufacture T-shirts and other cotton fabric items at the companys downtown Los Angeles-based factory. They have 184 store locations in 16 countries and 30 states and the District of Columbia. The company employs more than 6700 people worldwide. The products and services offered by American Apparel include the manufacture, distribution, and retail of fashion products and wholesale supplier of casual clothing for screen print companies (American Apparel, Financial Information). Retail apparel is a major industry worldwide. It is a resilient area, with growth and

decline generally in line with the large-scale economic situation. Although clothing is a staple item, most sales in the industry result from recreational spending. As trends change, consumers update their wardrobes each season. Trends in apparel production are extremely important. Fashion is a $24.3 billion industry in California, (Ivri, para. 4). However, when the economy squeezes consumers incomes, clothing is an expenditure which takes a big hit. The effect of the potential for economic recession on the retail clothing industry sales in the 2008 year could prove to be difficult for American Apparel. Early indicators showed sagging sales of 1.4% that can be attributed to large clearance inventories, (New Economic, para. 3). The Economic Stimulus Package Bill, worth $152 billion, should help on a short-term basis, but most economists project that it will be largely ineffective in the long-run. According to one blogger, We still expect to see a noticeable near term moderation in consumer spending

Byrd 5 primarily reflecting a slower pace of income growth and to a lesser extent the ongoing weakness in housing markets, (Izzo, para. 7). The financial state of American Apparel is currently very strong. A recent acquisition by

Endeavor Corp in December 2007 has made it a publicly traded organization. The company ended the 2007 fiscal year with Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization of $58.6 million and net income of $15.5 million. This was an 83% increase from a 2006 loss. The growth-rate for the company should prove to be just as lucrative in 2008, if projections pan out. The company is projecting an EBITDA of $70-75 million, an opening of 40- 45 new stores, and net income between $24 and $27 million (American Apparel, Financial Information). The products that are offered by American Apparel are cutting-edge fashion items that

appeal to the sexually-expressive young adult. The products offered range from T-shirts to leotards to swimwear. The design and style of the materials range from basic to yoga-inspired to roller-derby chic. The products are not luxury or designer clothing; rather, the line is indicative of easy, no-fuss and comfortable modern ready-to-wear for young adults with a distinct personality. The materials used range from cotton to acrylics to spandex. The products have been described as the seedy side of disco, and have a particular appeal to their specific market, (Palmeri, para. 1). American Apparel is a phenomenally fast-growing business, quickly increasing market

share. From founding a small plant in 2003 to earnings of $15.5 million and sales of $387 million, the market share of American Apparel is expanding. The potential for American

Byrd 6 Apparel to gain further market share is fueled by their socially-responsible business practices and attention-getting marketing campaign. As the trend of a socially-responsible corporate image continues to grow in popularity, American Apparel is poised for labor-friendly growth. American Apparel acts as the distributor of their products. Some question how an

American-based company is able, not only to turn a profit with moderately-priced merchandise, but to thrive throughout the world while affording employees one of the most generous benefit packages offered. CEO Dov Charney explains how distribution plays a role in profitability, We knit, cut, sew, package, ship, do all the distribution, photograph, design, market, develop software. We try to make it an efficient operation by being in one location, by being in the United States, by being in an urban environment. This creates the energy that we want to have that is more efficient, that is more exciting, so we don't have to chisel down the labor, so we don't have to f--- the working man, (Shimpo, para. 4). With or without the colorful language, it has become apparent in the last few years that he has a profitable vertical business structure and system in place. American Apparel is a relatively unique retailer, and they have much to offer its

consumers that cannot be found through similar corporations. However, the competition which it faces in a crowded clothing industry is great. Demand for clothing designs and manufactures are largely dependent on personal taste and style options. The competitors are primarily other retailers that target the young adult population and Generation Xers. Some examples of these include Bebe and Abercrombie and Fitch. Somewhat surprisingly, the largest

Byrd 7 competitor listed for the company is Fruit of the Loom, based on their large base of cotton T- shirts and undergarments and manufacturing system, (American Apparel, Hoovers).

Situation Analysis
American Apparel has come under public and legal criticism regarding sexual activity in

the workplace. San Francisco attorney Phil Horowitz, chair of the California Employment Lawyers Association, told Businessweek: "Any chief executive who's thinking of having sex with subordinates ought to have his head examined, (Dolan, The Harassment Question). In 2005, sexual harassment lawsuits were brought against Dov Charney, CEO, by four former female employees. Although three of the lawsuits have been dismissed, the reputable image of the company was damaged. This is the key issue that American Apparel needs to address to its various publics, in particular its employees, investors, the media, and target consumer market. The greatest barrier to communication regarding the image problem facing American

Apparel is a narcissistic CEO. Dov Charney has made American Apparel one of the most successful retailers in the nation, and it continues to grow at a fantastic rate. However, he has fostered a culture in the workplace that is far too open and sexual to be considered responsible. He has outright refused to discontinue his behavior, citing his First Amendment rights, (Dolan, The Harrassment Question). Until he can accept that this is a serious issue the company is facing and that it will continue to resurface, American Apparel is likely to face criticism and buzz in the media.

Byrd 8 American Apparel is the largest clothing manufacturer in the United States, (Dolan, para. 7). It stands on a platform of values such as immigration reform, labor-friendliness (sweatshop- free), and environmental sustainability. It exceeds standards for salary, benefits, and working conditions for all of its employees, (American Apparel, Our Workers). These are values that are being overshadowed by legal action. The actions of one narcissistic person, in addition to a sexually-charged environment, are leading to a questionably irresponsible public image. American Apparel has fallen short of taking a responsible stance on the issue of sexual harassment and continues to be ambiguous or defiant regarding company policy. My recommendation is to issue a strong statement denouncing sexual harassment as company policy (not vilifying free speech). This should be backed by actual written policy enacted throughout the organization of zero tolerance, and included on the website to fortify this position. Finally, American Apparel should sponsor a workshop or forum on the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace that can be made available annually to all employees. This will ensure that the new policy is effectively integrated and remains a priority in the future.

Core Problem Statement

Because legal issues concerning the company have not been addressed by the

organization in a forthright manner, the reputation of American Apparel as a responsible, labor- friendly, and ethical employer has come into question, and the confidence in the American Apparel brand by key publics could decrease.

Byrd 9

Key Publics
Employees are the most important group that American Apparel needs to address to solve their core problem. American Apparels employees are predominantly females (although not exclusively) of varying ages and backgrounds. Most of American Apparels employees have youthful characteristics, and they enjoy both the culture of the company as well as the benefits of working for a forward-thinking organization. BusinessWeek spoke to a number of current and former American Apparel employees who say the culture actually motivates them to work long hours, (Palmeri, Late Beers). The relationship that employees have with the issue at hand is clear: a working environment that fosters sexual harassment and favoritism is undesirable and hostile. Not only is it an at-risk condition, but it also creates instability with the company. Amid scandal, it is important to work from the ground-up and correct what went wrong from the beginning. This is a company that has held itself up as a workers advocate and immigration reform proponent. Employees seek job security with safe and responsible conditions. Influential individuals for the employees of American Apparel can be co-workers, managers, and/or the media. The media is a key public because their influence impacts all other publics, including consumers and investors, and it is one of the best ways to communicate information regarding American Apparel to these segments. It is a group that is as demographically and psychographically diverse as the entire population. Members of the media are generally educated, but interests and personalities are individually determined. The media exists to communicate relevant information to the population while removing as much bias as possible.

Byrd 10 Its interest in American Apparel is to provide the public with updates or highlights on company news and developments. Therefore, considering recent legal developments, the current relationship between American Apparel and the media is wildly variant in nature. From praise regarding labor benefits from some outlets to harsh criticism of ethics from others, the medias stance has changed as they have reported on issues surrounding the company. It is a working relationship, but one that has been both friendly and borderline hostile (Dolan, para. 1). Influential figures for the media may include public relations professionals, industry experts, legal authorities, and other media outlets. American Apparels Board of Directors is comprised of nine males with varying degrees of education and experience. Their specific backgrounds range from business strategy development to public relations to private equity fundraising. Dov Charney, CEO, is the Chairman of the Board (American Apparel, Investors). For better or for worse, he wields a great deal of power throughout all aspects of the organization. The governing Boards relationship with the issue(s) facing American Apparel is one of evaluation and analysis. It is their interest and duty to review, to advise, and to react. Given some of the accusations against American Apparel and some of the individuals within it, the Board of Directors is a key public because they are responsible for upholding the organizations financial well-being. They keep the investors happy. Investors include any person with a financial stake in the company. Currently, Dov Charney, CEO, is the largest shareholder. Ultimately, through an action of greater policy implementation or replacement of top management, the Board and the Investors

Byrd 11 will likely play an important role in the resolution of the problem. Opinion leaders for the Board of Directors and Investors include each other, legal counsel, employees, and the media.

Primary and Secondary Messages

Employees Primary Message: American Apparel is a safe, ethical, and responsible employer, and we are committed to continuing our status as one of the most sought-after employers in the business. Secondary Message:

Employees are the most important instrument of the success of American Apparel, and as a policy we have fought for the values of our workers from the sweatshop-free days to our current Legalize LA campaign; we will continue to advocate on your behalf.

American Apparel does not condone inappropriate behavior from staff, managers, or other affiliates that would offend or endanger other persons our employees safety and protection are top priority.

American Apparel has implemented a comprehensive Employee Manual containing policies designed for the protection and education of our employees, and we are dedicated to making an ongoing effort to communicate both company policy as well as general good business practice throughout the organization.

Annual staff meetings will be held regarding our company policies to formally educate staff on HR policies, corporate updates, professionalism in the workplace, and any other issues

Byrd 12 that are important to the workforce. Personal meetings will be available at any time upon request from the HR department. Media Primary Message: American Apparel is a leader in the clothing retail industry in ethical labor standards. Secondary Message: American Apparel is an edgy, ground-breaking clothing retailer that puts out the latest in fashion and comfort for our chic, urban customers. American Apparel is the largest clothing manufacturer in the United States, and employs over 4,000 people. American Apparel is one of the fastest growing businesses in the country, growing by 36% last year. American Apparel acts as an industry leader for employment standards and labor practices, offering unmatched compensation and benefits to its large workforce. American Apparels average employee makes well over twice the federal minimum wage, or about $25,000/year. American Apparel offers additional benefits such as parking, subsidized public transportation, a bicycle lending program, subsidized lunches, free massages, and the first onsite medical facility of its kind.

Byrd 13 The benefit packages offered by American Apparel are some of the best available and include paid days off, affordable health coverage ($8 for employees and $1 for children), and a stock program available to all employees. Board of Directors and Investors Primary Message: American Apparel will continue to outperform other retailers worldwide with high growth rates, leading profit margins, and fair labor practices. Secondary Message: American Apparel has been one of the fastest growing businesses in the last five years; this trend is expected to continue as the organization expands into new markets and solidifies current markets. The organization has launched an initiative to grow business in China; this is the greatest opportunity for growth and sales worldwide, and it will be groundbreaking for American- made clothing to be sold in this market. American Apparel is set to open 40-45 net new stores throughout the next year, earning an additional net of $24 to $27 million. American Apparel has a noted competitive advantage over other retailers with its one location system that reduces overhead cost, increases communication, reduces time delays across the board, and promotes productive camaraderie throughout the organization.

Byrd 14 American Apparel will continue to foster positive employee relationships through effective training, support, and benefits to reduce our already stellar turnover rate and continually improve the quality of our experienced workforce.

Campaign Goal
American Apparel is facing a difficult challenge with their public relations campaign. Because legal issues concerning the company have not been addressed by the organization in a forthright manner, the reputation of American Apparel as a responsible, labor-friendly, and ethical employer has come into question, and the confidence in the American Apparel brand by key publics could decrease. In order to resolve this issue, American Apparel must effectively communicate a position of corporate responsibility regarding the issue of sexual harassment to its key publics and work to maintain this proactive position of competence and leadership through formal company policy and action.

Campaign Objectives
In order for American Apparel to repair its corporate image, it must establish and incorporate necessary internal policies that effectively address the issue of sexual harassment company-wide. This can be done with little cost outside of the legal fees from counsel and approval. By working from the inside out, American Apparel will be able to get to the root of the problem and work to avoid future issues in the most credible manner. The formal internal communications have been lacking since the companys inception in 1998. The first employee

Byrd 15 manual was recently created in 2006. "The manual [has] been established in an attempt to institute procedure where once there was a loose system of 'understanding.' It appears that for years, and especially for the years Charney was present in the factory, American Apparel was run more like an idealist summer camp than a multi-million dollar corporation," (Dolan, "Remaining Criticisms"). American Apparel should have never operated without an employee manual; however, it realistically should update and issue a new manual annually. Another important objective for American Apparel to achieve its goal is to educate its

management and employees regarding the dangers and repercussions of sexual harassment in the workplace as well as the company policy on the subject. The cost related to this type of objective will amount to the time out of production that the employees will be receiving their education. The company can achieve this through a variety of tactics from making this part of initial and ongoing training to implementing sessions for all to attend throughout the workweek to holding a formal workshop. It should be important to the companys well-being that 100% of the employees are aware of the sexual harassment policy. As employees spend a large portion of their week on site, this is a very attainable objective that can be achieved in a matter of no more than two weeks. Finally, American Apparels public relations department must work to externally

communicate the new policies and steps that they have taken to eliminate any questionable behavior throughout the organization. The root of the core problem surrounding American Apparels public relations is their initial failure to effectively take responsibility for the unethical actions of their management. The reaction from the public relations team has been, thus far, a

Byrd 16 combination of ignoring the problem and denying its existence. This is evidenced through the statement from The Jewish Journal shortly after the lawsuits were filed, Charney denies any wrongdoing. He labels the lawsuits as shakedowns that are attempts by disgruntled ex- employees to exploit his open personality, (Ellenson, para. 4). The article continues to quote Dov Charney saying, Im being demonized for being a human being. American Apparel should instead take the approach that it does not in any way condone the type of behavior that is contained in the legal allegations against the corporation under any circumstances. American Apparel must effectively communicate this stance to a level of knowledge that is high among the members of the media that report on the company and the lawsuits. This is a goal that will be difficult, though it is attainable if they are able to foster relationships with important media members and work together to achieve this goal. The time-frame for this objective, although on-going work may be needed for upkeep, is such that initial connection, whether the communication is face-to-face (preferable) or electronic, should be made within a month.

Campaign Strategies
Employees Ensure employees that American Apparel is a safe, ethical, and responsible employer. Ensure employees that American Apparel is one of the most sought-after employers in the retail business. Media Position American Apparel as a leader in retail ethical standards.

Byrd 17 Board Members and Investors Affirm confidence in the security and future success of the American Apparel business.

Campaign Tactics
Employees (strategy 1) 1. Set up a series of staff meetings to be held by management to address the issue of proper employee/employer conduct and ethical business practices. 2. Revise Employee Manual with competent and comprehensive policies regarding sexual harassment in addition to corrective action plans in the event of breach of policy. 3. Educate all employees regarding the policy and updated manual, present a copy to each employee, and collect signed statements of agreement with regard to the document and understanding of its contents. 4. Uphold and enforce the standards set forth in the policy and utilize zero tolerance as a matter of practice. 5. Hold annual employee workshops and training sessions on a variety of issues relevant to employees including at least one required session on sexual harassment. Employees (Strategy 2) 1. Educate each employee with regards to the second-to-none benefits that are offered by American Apparel and encourage employees to take full advantage of them. 2. Continue to run the Legalize LA Ad Campaign that is both relevant and important to many of the employees in the LA headquarters.

Byrd 18 Media 1. Sponsor a series of PSAs, possibly featuring American Apparel employees, regarding the severity of sexual harassment in the workplace, and what victims can do in the event a harmful situation should arise. 2. Respond to critical and harmful publicity in a professional manner to media members with one-on-one meetings using responsible messages and non-accusatory language in the construction of letters to the editor or other appropriate response pieces. 3. Create a VNR documenting the progress the organization has made and will continue to strive for to assure no-risk employment. Board Members and Investors 1. Create an internal ethics committee to oversee all interactions company-wide. 2. Communicate regularly regarding updates to policies, relevant corrective actions being taken or considered, and legal standings via internal documents. 3. Send out quarterly and annual press releases regarding the financial health report of the organization. 4. Create an internal video detailing the organization, mission, key players, history, successes, and outlining future goals that both illustrates the secure position of the organization and sets in stone future direction and growth.

Byrd 19

Examples of Public Relations Tactics

1. Legalize LA Fact Sheet (reader-friendly URL: http://www.americanapparel.net/contact/legalizela/fact1.html)

2. Legalize LA Newspaper Ad

Byrd 20 3. Press Release (http://investors.americanapparel.net/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=310206)

Byrd 21 4. Daily Blog Entry: American Apparel makes use of the potentially valuable tool that is Web 2.0. This blog addresses many issues that may arise in the company or the community. Following is a recent entry on the Legalization of Gay Marriage:

Happy Gay Marriage Day!

Posted by:

Spence (Employee)

5/15/2008 12:03

The California Supreme Court got with the times today and ruled that the Golden State's ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional. Huzzah! One in ten Americans now live in a place where they can marry whom they want. A nice step forward, eh? But before you start picking out matching bridesmaid dresses and house shopping for that perfect little bungalow for two, the haters will be trying to put an initiative on the ballot in November to overturn this ruling. So get ready to hit the streets for the Mother Of All Gay Rights Battles. And remember, there are still people out there who fear the power of the rainbow: During the trial, which was held in Panama City, Florida, yesterday and today, Ponce de Leon High School's principal David Davis admitted under oath that he had banned students from wearing any clothing or symbols supporting equal rights for gay people. Davis also testified that he believed rainbows were "sexually suggestive" and would make students unable to study because they'd be picturing gay sex acts in their mind. The principal went on to admit that while censoring rainbows and gay pride messages he allowed students to wear other symbols many find controversial, such as the Confederate flag. Hum, I guess American Apparel is doing its part to make everyone think of gay sex:

Byrd 22 5. Event: American Apparel Clothing Drive, Dec. 2007, has been the most recent public relations event held by the company. Following are some photos from the event and a thank you letter regarding the donations:

Byrd 23

American Apparel: Calendar for Public Relations Action

Employees Strategy
Ensure employees that American Apparel is a safe, ethical, and responsible employer Address proper conduct issues with staff in meetings Revise Employee Manual annually Educate all employees regarding the policy and updated manual Enforce set standard of conduct Hold annual employee workshops and training sessions Ensure employees that American Apparel is one of the most sought-after employers in the retail business Educate each employee on benefits Run the Legalize LA Ad Campaign
Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May

X X

X X

X X

X X X X

X X

Strategy

Tactics

Tactics

X X

Strategy

Media
Position American Apparel as a leader in retail ethical standards across the industry Sponsor a series of PSAs on sexual harassment Respond to critical articles with letters to the editor Create a VNR documenting progress Affirm confidence in the security and future success of the American Apparel business Create an internal ethics committee Communicate internally regarding legal standings and policy updates Send out quarterly finance reports Create an internal mission video

X X

X X

X X

X X X

X X

X X

X X

Strategy

Tactics

Board Members and Investors

X X X

X X

X X

X X

X X

Tactics

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American Apparel: Budget for Campaign Action

Employees
Strategy Ensure that American Apparel is a safe, ethical, and responsible employer Address proper conduct issues with staff in meetings Revise Employee Manual annually Educate employees on the updated manual Enforce standard of conduct Hold annual employee workshops (4,000 ppl.) Tactics Strategy Ensure that American Apparel is one of the most sought-after employers Worker benefits education Run Legalize LA Ad (18X*) Per Item Cost Total Projected Sponsored Credit Actual Projected

$0 $0 $0 $0 $15

$0 $0 $0 $0 $60,000

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0

$0 $0 $0 $0 $60,000

Tactics

strategy subtotal: $60,000

$0 $275

$0 $4,950

$0 $0 $0 $4,950 strategy subtotal: $4,950 public subtotal: $64,950

Media
Strategy Position American Apparel as a leader in retail ethical standards PSA creation (4) PSA distribution (400 stations w/ firm**) Respond to critical articles VNRs to doc. progress (4)

Tactics

$15,000 $17,000 $0 $10,000

$60,000 $68,000 $0 $40,000

$0 $0 $0 $0

$60,000 $68,000 $0 $40,000

public subtotal: $168,000 Board Members and Investors

Strategy Affirm confidence in the security and future of the American Apparel business Create ethics committee Communicate legal standings and updates Send finance reports Create mission video

Tactics

$0 $0 $0 $30,000

$0 $0 $0 $30,000

$0 $0

$0 $0

$0 $0 $0 $30,000 public subtotal: $30,000 CAMPAIGN TOTAL: $262,950

Byrd 25

Evaluation Plan
American Apparel needs to implement an effective method for evaluating their public relations efforts. Currently, they monitor the media both print and electronic that is published about the company. While this is a necessary portion of evaluation, there are steps that can further the accuracy of their efforts and give insight to their investment. Measurement is an important part of public relations, and the feedback that is gathered helps to shape future efforts and focus. There are several ways that I would recommend going about this task. A starting point is to measure outputs, or how many public relations tactics are used for a particular strategy in a given timeframe. For example, in the first quarter, American Apparels blog addressed the topic of employee benefits X number of times. The PR team pitched stories on their new medical facility to X reporters. Then, it is necessary to compare this to the number of times the stories or press releases were published by the media. This will give them an idea of what efforts produced the end result, and in the end, how they need to be shaped to meet or further future goals. In addition, they should measure what percentage of the target media or audience covered the message in the end. For example, 80% of employees attended the forum held on sexual harassment in the workplace, or how much web traffic was generated by a Legalize LA ad. This is important to understand what methods are best and most efficient for reaching the key public(s).

Byrd 26 Finally, American Apparel should conduct a survey or polling service in order to gain understanding of opinions on the company from key publics. This should be done both prior to the campaign and as a follow-up to determine how effective their efforts and investments were in shaping opinions and educating publics. Surveys are great tools for measuring soft data that cannot be calculated in sales data alone. ROI can only be measured in terms of efficacy of the campaign - the quality over quantity. This is the most effective way to measure how the public relations influenced attitudes about the companys ethical practices. Finally, there are some internal tools that the company should consider in its measurement of this public relations campaign. Since internal publics are central to this campaign and its success, they can be measured through employee satisfaction surveys, turnover rates, and investor action or inaction. This will provide insight as to whether or not those within the company truly support American Apparel.

Personal Assessment
My personal evaluation of American Apparels public relations efforts and future

prospects are mixed. There are a lot of positive resources to work with including unique values, strong workforce, and sound finances. However, until management is willing to take a step up with responsibility and fostering a professional culture, it is unlikely that the goals of this campaign are attainable. For years, both management and employees have followed a loose set of rules that run counter to the strategies that need to be set forth for an improved relationship with key publics. Those affiliated with the company have acted on the utopian

Byrd 27 misrepresentation that American Apparel is hip, youthful, and has no need for the rules of former generations. As long as the company continues to foster an environment that believes sexuality, drugs, and derogatory language are acceptable in the workplace, it is difficult to believe that their public image can make any serious change. If, however, American Apparel (and especially Dov Charney) is able to concede that it is possible to be hip, youthful, and professional, this campaign will greatly benefit the success of company and those who work for and with it.

Byrd 28

References
About Us. www.americanapparel.net *Advertising Rates. Jan 1, 2008. http://www.nytimes.whsites.net/mediakit/pdfs/newspaper/rates/2008/07_0000_RateC ard_General_EW5.pdf American Apparel: A Company Overview. Retrieved March 30, 2008. http://www.hoovers.com/american-apparel/--ID__110793--/free-co-factsheet.xhtml Dolan, Bernard. American Apparel, LLC. Aug. 26, 2006. http://www.knowmore.org/wiki/index.php?title=American_Apparel,_LLC Ellenson, Ruth Andrew. Unfashionable Crisis. July 29, 2005. The Jewish Journal. http://jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=14419 Financial Information. Retrieved March 28, 2008. www.americanapparel.net **Goldsmith, Margie. PSA Bibliography: How to Get Results With PSAs. Retrieved May 9, 2008. http://www.psaresearch.com/bib4208.html Ivri, Idan. A Fashion Do This Years Trends Blend Style with Social Consciousness. Dec. 10, 2005. http://dev.launch-box.net:10000/article.aspx?CID=1&ID=127 Izzo, Phil. Economists React: No Reason for Optimism. Feb. 13, 2008. The Wall Street Journal. http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2008/02/13/ New Economic Stimulus Bill Expected to Boost Sagging Retail Sales. Feb. 13, 2008. Visual Merchandising. http://www.fashionwindows.com/visualmerchandising/?p=125 Palmeri, Christopher. Living on the Edge at American Apparel. June 27, 2005. Businessweek. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_26/b3939108_mz017.htm Shimpo, Rafu. Made in America. Oct. 25, 2001. http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/articles/20011025rafushimpo.html