Some of you may have heard about this, but when I saw this earlier today - I was seriously infuriated.
For those of you who are unaware of the store, Urban Outfitters is a retailer that sells everything from clothes to shit for your apartment. I never had a real problem with them, but it bothers me how they try really painfully hard to be trendy in that artsy, "oh-look-at-me-wearing-a-blazer-with-pajama-pants-because-I'm-so-hippie-chic" type of way. If you shop there, that's all well and good, but they've officially ticked me off in a whole new way.
Although they pulled this lapse in judgement from their website, the fact that it even happened says enough about their company to make me forget they ever existed. Let's not forget that it can still be purchased in stores, though:
Eat. Less.
Are you seriously kidding me???
If anyone has any connections to the company,
PLEASE feel free to send them the following words
COURTESY OF KELL:
Dear Urban Outfitters (and Richard Hayne - your noble chairman),
As an extremely popular retailer not only in the United States, but in several other countries around the world - I would think you would have a grip on who makes up your main customer demographic. You focus in on the 18-30 age group and obviously, you've taken interest in "connecting" with your shoppers since your website states: Our established ability to understand our customers and connect with them on an emotional level is the reason for our success. So you understand your customers, right? You know what they like and what types of lifestyles they lead, correct? Would you say you realize that people in that age group, especially women, are extremely impressionable - especially when it comes to brand names and the media? I know - you probably know all of this since you have already established the ability to connect with them on an emotional basis ... but if you don't mind, I'd like to share something with you that you clearly do not know about your target demographic:
- 1 out of every 100 young women between 10-20 years old is starving herself, sometimes to death.
- Four percent (4%), or 4 out of 100, college-age women have bulimia.
- Approximately 1-2% of late adolescent or adult women suffer from bulimia.
- During the last 30 days, 6.3% of students nationwide had taken diet pills, powders, or liquids without a doctor’s advice to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight.
- Nationwide, 12.3% of high school students had gone without eating for 24 hours or more to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight during the last 30 days.(courtesy of sadd.org)
I know you've pulled the shirt from the website, but just like you can't unsay something stupid that's already come out of your mouth - I will make sure people don't forget about this little "oopsie daisy". What exactly was the point of this shirt? You're doing business in a world that is constantly trying to reassure the 18-30 year olds to embrace their inner beauty, live healthy lifestyles, and be confident ... and you're selling this? Are you trying to set us back? Eating disorders kill thousands of people every year - mainly females in your demographic. So before you open your mouth and start spouting to the public that you understand your customers on an emotional level, try not to sell a shirt that promotes a potentially deadly disorder that over 8 million Americans alone suffer from everyday.
I will never set foot into one of your stores again.
Sincerely,
Kell
