The once-popular—surely it isn’t still?—teenaged sexpot clothing store Abercrombie & Fitch is shelling out $10 million to build a new emergency room and trauma center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Now a group is speaking out against the idea of prominently naming the kids’ ER after the store, which the hospital has been hinting at in announcements. The reason the hospital is called “Nationwide Children’s Hospital” is because Nationwide Insurance gave it $50 million. Up next: the Budweiser End Zone Birthing Center, and then the American Apparel Teenaged Pregnancy Wing.
Research has shown a link between sexualized images of teens in the media and mental health problems in girls, including eating disorders, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, according to the Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.
(Thanks to Darkwing Duck!)
“Group: Hospital should nix retailer name” [BusinessWeek/AP]
(Original photo before it got corrupted: D’Arcy Norman)
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LOL the first thing in the picture that caught my eye was that I knew that it was the children’s hospital in Calgary (which is right across the street from my university).
@Chris Walters: OOOOH neato star next to your name. Is that what you decided to replace the report button with?
And Boobs are great. We were just pointing them out. Except for that one complainer.
Why is AF evil again?
I remember GAP has sweatshop labor and AA has the creepy underage porn ads. What did AF do?
And companies -especially fashion related ones – are all a bit evil. But, if AF takes the profits from selling lots of boring clothes to middle-class trend-sheep and gives it back to the community, I can’t complain.
Someone at the Alberta Children’s Hospital is weeping. Right now.
(Yes, that’s where the original photo is from)
I call ‘em ‘Aberfimbie and CROTCH’. Wouldn’t use their sex-pital.
@CharlieSeattle: Where did I say that I would rather have them not donate the money? All I wrote was my opinion that I don’t think it’s appropriate to have a health institution like this basically be a passive corporate shill for Abercromie & Fitch. If A&F wants to give the money, so be it, I don’t have a problem with it. And yes, I realize it’s a free country. I just have a feeling that A&F wouldn’t have done this if they thought they couldn’t have their company name plastered all over it. I have a personal conviction against this kind of advertising; apparently you don’t, but I’m not busting your chops for it.
“Doctor, my slightly tannned abs are aching.”
“Nurse, I need 3Ls of overly-branded rugby shirts, stat!”
@Chris Walters:
I saw the post last-night and got a real kick out of the picture, so appropriate for A&F. I was disappointed to check back in this morning and find that you’d censored it. I get that people are sensitive, but it’s your blog.
@rdldr1: Sorry, wrong. Graduate degree in EE, husband and father to 3 girls. But really, can you imagine an Iraq veteran shopping there? Its for the manzy panzies and guys who cried when Wham broke up.
@wikkit: I told Chris to take out the boobies. We have a no-boobie photo policy.
@Chris Walters: Hey, howzaboot a link to the uncensored picture for the non-panties-in-a-bunch readers?
I was at a Sharks game and EVERYTHING is sponsored in some way even the power plays.
Irritated me enough that I made a note NOT to buy from that company.
I don’t have a problem with this, and I say this as someone who hates how pervasive advertising is. It would be nice if the companies would just donate the money, but the good this money does balances everything out.
Who gives a shit what its named, if the donation helps the kids that are sick name it whatever the hell you want, get off the high horse consumerist.
But will the inside have ear-splittingly loud club music and lots of homo-erotic imagery? Because it doesn’t deserve the A&F name without them.
I see people all the time complain about art centres, hospitals and other ‘public’ buildings having sponsored names. The big question is: Would you rather not have them at all? And Stadiums…If Putting Papa John’s name on a stadium means less (or no) tax payer money going towards its construction I say brilliant!
@eri401: if you remember, a&f were the ones that were selling g-string underwear in kids sizes, had the t-shirts with the derogatory image of an asian man on them, etc. so they aren’t necessarily EVIL like say, the GAP (sweatshops), but they most definitely have made some poor marketing/product decisions over the years. plus, they are a big corporation, something that is to be disdained if you are reading this blog.
i live in the bay area where we have a baseball stadium that i can’t even keep track of what to call anymore… first it was pac bell, then it was at&t, now god knows, it’s proabbly sponsored by HGH or something. anyway… i am generally disgusted by this trend… but being that i work in economic development i know how incredibly difficult it is for local governments and institutions to fund projects like these. the only thing that will reverse this trend is a congressional action to stop drug/medical companies from charging so much. either that or we all pay higher taxes to fund them. we had 2 bond measures on the ballot in my county on 2/5 that would have funded a retrofit/remodel of oakland children’s hospital and both failed. the bottom line here is that a company is giving money to help sick kids. i think it’s OK.
I live in Columbus. Children’s Hospital has been an important part of our community for many years. When Nationwide made their contribution the only thing that changed was part of the sign outside and some stationary.
So, I’m really OK with naming the ER the A&F ER or whatever. I just don’t think it will make any difference at all.
“C’mon Mom, can’t we go to the Abercrombie hospital instead of this generic one? All the cool kids go there.”
I hope their trauma centre has world-class plastic surgeons to fix the kids right up. Even those who come in with minor ailments will be referred for all sorts of cosemetic improvements – essential to promoting Abercrombie and Fitch.
</sarcasm>
My brother spent several years of his life at Columbus Children’s Hospital. They are great people who saved his life, so I really could care less what they call the place as long as they keep up the good work.
You haven’t been able to get from 161 to Morse Rd. without going through Easton first for years. Les Wexner owns Columbus, breaking news from the 20th century. Seriously, this is his MO — screw a lot of people for money, screw up the traffic system for more money, then donate a fraction of his money to some very visible cause to make people like him and also for a nice tax writeoff.
hey there is a canadian flag on the story picture.
/ just thought that was interesting
i wonder if they’ll blast loud music and pump the nausiating scent of perfume throught the ER.
Yes, Damn them for subsidizing the cost of running a hospital.
To the individuals complaining about their campus’s naming stadiums, I’m sure you don’t want that multi million dollar building coming out of your tuition.
Will they give kids a thong when they leave, instead of a stuffed animal?
there is a canadian flag on the picture in the story.
/ thought it was funny
I think they should open an anorexia, bulimia and eating disorder clinic.
@Inhocmark: Bingo!!!! We have a winner. I don’t know what is with all the pro cooperate welfare people.
@Bryan Price:
It’s not a new development. A&F has been supporting Children’s trauma center for afew years. Last time I was in their ER with a friend and her daughter, there were Disney murals on the wall. Just because A&F supports it, doesn’t mean that nudity is plastered all over the place. (And this ER trip was after A&F started donating). Not disagreeing with you, supporting your argument.
And they are a nationally recognized Children’s hospital. This is missed in the article. Whatever. Gotta focus on OMG BOOBIES.
Children’s ER is nicer than Ohio States. For what I pay, I should get an autographed football damnit….
Bring back the boobies. For the love of gods, bring back the boobies!
That is all.
I’d only allow myself to be treated if they had really hot male doctors and nurses. I think the placebo effect would be enough to make me well/stop bleeding/whatever was wrong with me.
As for American prudishness…it’s got to stop. Boobs are boobs, nudity is natural, and as long as the models aren’t actually in poses where privates are touching, then who cares? My 8 y.o. daughter loves going to the sculpture wing of the NGA and she sees more nudity there than in A&F catalogs. Sure, it’s led to questions about body parts, but I’d rather her ask me than her classmates.
@jeffjohnvol: Hey smart guy, the time I worked there I had a Marine (who cussed all the time) AND an Iraq war veteran fellow employee. I have had Navy personnel, uniformed and on shore leave, come into the store in large groups – and they bought stuff. I’ve had celebrities and professional athletes come into my old store. Ignorance must be blisstastic for you. Good luck making your girls keep away from the company’s stores. Go ahead, keep making up stuff on a topic you have no idea about.
@humphrmi: You must be a cubs fan, because no self-respecting White Sox fan would call it “Sox Park” or US Cellular for that matter. It is and forever shall be COMISKEY Park, as in Charles Comiskey, the fromer owner/player of the CHICAGO WHITE SOX.
… and Jeff, where would you recommend “real men” shop for clothes? Mind you im not talking about Wal-Mart’s casual hobo line.
The hospital I worked at in WInston Salem NC named its womens center The Sara Lee Center for Women Health” As in Sara Lee food, cookies, pies cakes etc, etc.
@xtc46: “Im ok with buying names, its like buying advertising. Besides the names have to come from somewhere…why not the company who paid for it?”
Like when a Japanese company wanted to buy the naming rights to Soldier Field in Chicago (in the late 80s, I think), which is a war memorial to those soldiers who died in World Wars I and II? Sony “Sorry about the death march of Bataan” Field?
It irritates people because it’s out of hand, often ill-thought-out, and sometimes renaming beloved local institutions. These companies could avoid a lot of ire if they named things, like, “Comiskey Park by Cellular One” instead of “Cellular Field” or whatever the hell New Comiskey’s name is these days. Even “Soldier Field by Sony” particularly if followed by the sportscasters saying every time, “Sony salutes American soldiers past and present,” would be a lot better than “Sony Field.”
I mean, yeah, Japan’s a friend and ally of the U.S. and most Japanese multinationals employ a lot of Americans and I appreciate whatever company it was wanting to support U.S. sports … but it was insensitively done. History’s not trivial, even when the wounds of the past have been healed.
PS — I don’t think it was Sony that floated the idea, that’s just for illustrative purposes.
@Spaceman Bill Leah: You sound like you’re from Green Bay.
@SpdRacer: Verily. It’s still rea… erm, the Civic Center to me, dammit! (boot to XL’s metaphorical head)
@SaveMeJeebus: No, no, it’ll be Brawndo. It’s what plants crave.
@rdldr1: Bass Pro shop. Was that before they had the half naked pictures of boys, lol? If you want to shop there, have at it. I just think that the majority of their customers are the panzy types who spend more time in front of a mirror than most. Same goes with the Gap.
@SpdRacer: former
Haha oh God, I live in Columbus and wasn’t aware of this. I remember when I worked at the New Albany, OH, ANF headquarters they would put up pictures that were not yet photoshopped and the models are really soo ugly. Fucking hilarious, you’re welcome for my input.
At Providence Saint Joseph hospital across the street from where I work, the entrance is entitled Disney Plaza, and they have the Walt Disney Company Foundation Labor and Delivery department. Granted, it’s right next to Disney Studios and Walt Disney himself was instrumental in the development of the hospital. It is a nice place though, they use the money well!
@LaComtesse: Absulance coming through! We need to lower this teenager’s self esteem stat!
aAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
I think this is tacky as hell on A&F’s part, but on the other hand, I’m reckoning the business will be dead within the next 50 years, and it will just sound like two people named Abercrombie and Fitch donated it.
I dont undertand why this is in the new again, consumerist reported on this 2 years ago: [consumerist.com]