BREAKING: Children’s hospital naming rights go to . . . Abercrombie & Fitch?
Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio is considering giving naming rights for its new emergency department to Abercrombie & Fitch.
You read that right.
You know, a hospital? Where they care about children’s health? A lot? And you know, Abercrombie ’n’ Fitch? Where they don’t so much?
See, in the Abercrombie ’n’ Fitch world, the sexualization of young girls leads to fun, fun, more fun, and then, happiness! And not to depression, eating disorders, and sexual problems when they become adults.
You may remember the A ‘n’ F little-girl-thong fiasco? CEO Mike Jeffries, in a Salon interview, says he thinks that the thongs made for middle-school girls with “Wink Wink” and “Eye Candy” printed on them were “cute!”
“People said we were cynical, that we were sexualizing little girls. But you know what? I still think those are cute underwear for little girls. And I think anybody who gets on a bandwagon about thongs for little girls is crazy. . . . ”
Ohhhhh-kay. The interview continues:
. . . . when I ask him how important sex and sexual attraction are in what he calls the “emotional experience” he creates for his customers, he says, “It’s almost everything. That’s why we hire good-looking people in our stores. Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don’t market to anyone other than that.”
I wonder it that would go for the children’s emergency room, too.
Parents for Ethical Marketing, along with 15 other advocacy organizations and about 800 Ph.D.s have signed on to a CCFC letter asking Nationwide Children’s Hospital not to sell the naming rights to Abercrombie ’n’ Fitch.
Information on where to sign on to the request will follow.
Related from Bob Garfield: Abercrombie Underwear Shop Plays Up Goods, But Not Its Own
March 11th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Top 10 Other Sponsors Also Considered for Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH
10. Mike Tyson Otology Clinic and Children’s Hospital
9. Philip Morris Heart and Lung Center for Children
8. Bill O’Reilly Center for Peace Studies and Children’s Hospital
7. Michael Vick Veterinary Clinic and Children’s Hospital
6. The Lindsay Lohan Children’s Mental Health Center
5. Monsanto Children’s Oncology Clinic and Hospital
4. William McGuire Center for Corporate Ethics and Children’s Hospital
3. The Michael Jackson Children’s Hospital of Columbus
2. Elliot Spitzer Human Sexuality Clinic and Children’s Hospital
1. Barbie Center for Eating Disorders and Children’s Hospital