Obama speech last night: "Sponsored by Abercrombie & Fitch."

[Maddy McCall]

Did any DUers notice last night the conspicuous placement of the three guys behind Obama, all wearing A&F shirts? I noticed it, and just kinda passed if off with a "Hmmm...that's interesting."

But today I'm seeing that this topic is being discussed by a few sites.


DListed caption: "Sponsored by Abercrombie & Fitch"

From Gawker: "This mystery is bugging me: Why were the three young guys behind Barack Obama during his concession speech tonight all wearing Abercrombie & Fitch t-shirts? Maybe it's a plot by the Obama campaign to win back the gay community, which has something of a taste for the youth clothing retailer and, especially, its catalogs, but whose vote is basically owned by Hillary Clinton. But gays aren't really a swing vote in the upcoming Indiana or North Carolina primaries, nor in the Democratic party's upcoming battle against Republican nominee John McCain. Perhaps, instead, this is some kind of bizarre attempt at product placement by Abercrombie, trying to latch on to some of Obama's rock-star appeal. Watch the Abercrombie boys shuffle around and holler during Obama's speech in the video after the jump."



From ShoppingBlog: "Hillary Clinton won Pennsylvania tonight and gave a rousing victory speech. Barack Obama then launched into a rousing speech to his supporters in Indiana, but no one in the blogosphere could listen to it because they were so distracted by the three idiots wearing Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirts who are standing right behind him. The guy on the far left is wearing a t-shirt that says "Fitch" in like mile high letters. Plus, the three amigos aren't even listening to his speech! Are they Abercrombie models? Infiltrators from American Apparel trying to drum up a campaign finance scandal?? Fitchtgate is just getting started...."

http://www.shoppingblog.com/cgi-bin/sblog.pl?sblog=422083

You can see them in this youtube video of Obama's speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaQwbFvDK6I&eurl=http://gawker.com/5006621/barack-obamas-abercrombie-boys


Wonder why these three, dressed in these shirts with logos advertising the same corporation, were placed behind Obama during his televised speech. It's odd.

[anonymous171]

1. Shouldn't you be obsessing over how Obama scratches his nose?

[Maddy McCall]

3. I'm not obsessed with anything. I'm curious about it.

I think it's a fun topic to discuss.

I'm sorry. I know you're still healing today, so I won't argue with you.

[Bucky]

11. I imagine they're friends or coworkers who were supporting him & somehow got onstage there.

And don't worry about the few snark-heads here. No Obama supporter would take offense at your question unless they're just looking for an excuse to be offended.

[Maddy McCall]

13. Thanks, Bucky.

I think you're right...I just find it amazing that they pulled this off. Usually, screeners for both candidates are careful about who is filmed behind their candidate.

I bet they had jackets, and took off their jackets after they were seated.

[Mags]

12. I heard that somewhere else. Looks like it was.

[Tellurian]

22. Obama taking Product Placement for Ad revenue?

does he charge for parking?

[sniffa]

49. He charges half a million for parking

I can only think of one person loony enough to pay that fee though.

[grantcart]

24. right just happened to see a bunch of stories about it lol

[cliffordu]

53. I'm glad you wasted a post on this.

I think you should post more idiotic stuff!!


:hi:

[OhioChick]

2. Who Cares? n/t

[PBS Poll-435]

4. I said the same thing.

And the one on the right appeared to have had a little too much coffee or something...

:yoiks:

[Maddy McCall]

5. LOL...

I know other people noticed, because I was talking to a friend last night, and as soon as the Obama speech began, he said "Are you watching this? Look at the guys in the A&F shirts behind him! What's with that?"

Yeah, they were obviously there to advertise...I just wonder how they got the seats they did. I think it's a funny story...I certainly hold no malice toward Obama about it.

It's just a funny thing.

[JackORoses]

6. Do you never tire of your incessant bullshit?

ever?

What about the people in the Obama shirts, are they secretly trying to say something?
I'm just certain it is an insidious effort to get people to like Obama. :sarcasm:

[newmajority]

7. I actually got the impression that those young men might have been Iraq vets

I really didn't make an issue of their clothing. But I did notice that the guy on the right, in the #54 t shirt, seemed to have a reaction when Obama mentioned things regarding the war and the troops in his speech. Almost as if it made him flashback to something he didn't want to think about. And it looked as though his friend in the gray t-shirt was checking to see if he was doing alright at that time. Male models? I don't think so.

[seaglass]

8. I don't think those guys are A&F models, at least they don't

look like it to me - but I'll ask my daughter, she works for an A&F store and she will know if they fit the "look."

Kinda funny though. :-)

[Maddy McCall]

15. LOL! Do bring your daughter's expertise into this thread.

Seriously, I'd love to hear her comments on it.

:D

[redqueen]

9. Uh... yeah... inane BS is discussed everywhere. In fact there's already a thread about this.

Guess you got your talking points late. ;)

[NashVegas]

10. That Would Explain

Why so many Obama supporters act like assholes.

[invictus]

14. It's coincidence. These three are probably friends who shopped together. n/t

[cboy4]

17. Sure it is.

[OhioChick]

16. Evansville....big college town.

Should be self-explanatory.

[zulchzulu]

The blonde is wearing a Victoria's Secret Fancy Bra

You know it's true.

[boobooday]

18. You couldn't help but notice - at first I thought it was guerrilla product placement

But I work with college students. This is really how some frat boys dress now. It was definitely silly and distracting.

[Maddy McCall]

19. Yeah, that's what I thought at first, too....

I see a lot of A&F clothing on my campus, too...it just seemed odd that all three of them were able to be seated directly behind the candidate.

I was kinda waiting for one of them to pull out a bottle of Pepsi and drink it...or a McDonalds bag.

LOL.

[AntiFascist]

26. This calls for a deep analysis of the marketing message on the t-shirts...

The first shirt immediately conjurs up the word "bitch", although in this campaign that word is deemed politically incorrect and perhaps better portrayed as an "F" word. The second shirt seems to illustrate the dichotomy of the extremes of the A and F grading scale used in the educational system up through college, established for the last 50 years or more. This represents the linear thinking that has gotten our nation into trouble and calls for a new way of thinking outside of the box. The third t-shirt can best be summarized as 'anarchical baseball', again established 50 years ago or more. This represents the game played by the military-industrial complex keeping the populace confused and scared while the treasury is being plundered. How's that for a political Rorschach response?

[boobooday]

31. Brilliant!

Or, it was a clever marketing ploy for a dermatological cream -- to me, the boy on screen right was screaming ITCH!

[Debi]

20. Damn young people, wearing clothes that young people wear, showing up

at political rallies and getting involved in the process.

For shame! Shame on you young people wearing young people clothing!!!




On edit:

Did you see when Obama was on the Daily Show Monday night he and Jon Stewart had on THE SAME TIE??? Was it a SECRET MESSAGE? Was IT???

[Tellurian]

25. Obama still in denial about his elitism?

or were his workers scurrying around looking for more white people to set behind his podium?

[Debi]

27. Maybe he'd appear less elite if he threw back a shot and a beer

w/his buddies down at the local watering hole?

[BigDDem]

28. Or hit the bowling lanes....38 or bust!

[Tellurian]

50. The only thing worse than an elitist..

is an entitlement elitist, which Obama demonstrates very well, he is..

[stevietheman]

21. This fluff doesn't help the non-nominee Hillary Clinton. n/t

n/t

[rodeodance]

51. This fluff doesn't help the non-nominee BHO

[scheming daemons]

23. The real question is.... did they subliminally give Hillary the finger?

...

[BigDDem]

29. Disinterested frat boys for Barry

[Maven]

30. Actually I think they're just brand-obsessed hosebags who support Obama

(Wouldn't be the first time.) I don't think Obama's campaign actually planned it, although I'm really surprised at the number of people who took my first thread on the subject literally.

[yourguide]

32. Yet another fine example of you reaching out to the obama supporters...

to discuss issues. :sarcasm:


trashmongerer.

[Whisp]

33. bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran

aren't you going off topic? I thought obliteration was the new thang for creeps like you.

[DemGa]

34. Hope and change and Abercrombie & Fitch?

This has become ludicrous.

[madrchsod]

35. they do`t sell a tee like the black and white one

[Auntie Bush]

36. CNN is discussing this right now. Has the same picture up.

[anonymous171]

37. WTF? More silly season from the MSM

[SemiCharmedQuark]

38. Is CNN really that bad?

What a waste of time.

[redqueen]

41. You have to ask?

You *are* talking about the M$M, after all.

There are very few exceptions (Olbermann), and they only prove the rule.

[Danger Mouse]

39. They're goateed douchebags, and goateed douchebags ALWAYS wear A+F.

[Maddy McCall]

44. LOL! Best response in the whole thread.

:thumbsup:

[Warren DeMontague]

40. It's sexism, clearly. "Abercrombie and Fitch" rhymes with "Iran Bombing..."

oh, never mind.

[Dr Fate]

42. Could be worse- at least they were not holding lattes with their pinkies extended.

LOL! You guys are a trip.

[Warren DeMontague]

45. I'da liked to see some of my tie-dyed deadhead buddies there

boy, would that have aroused some foot-stomping indignation and outrage.

[Divine Discontent]

43. this may come as a shock to people over 25...

but college aged buddies where the same types of clothes, and at some point, a few of them are going to get behind a candidate. If anything, it was a A&F slick marketing move to get behind him so people who they know will blog about being a scandal (for whatever purpose) will talk about it. I cannot believe the amount of threads dedicated to this 'story'.

[nomaco-10]

46. That was pretty strange....

After joe the scab and intern killer pointed it out this morning, I kept noticing the three guys, even when the clip of them was unrelated to the story.

I'd say local campaign peeps weren't paying attention. If anything, it just shows Barack's people are tired, or they are not micro managing everything for show. In either scenario, nobody needs to be crucified it.

[Jed Dilligan]

47. They have a store in Evansville, these could be employees?

That was my thought watching the speech.

Not sure how this is relevant...

[Swamp Rat]

48. Hillary's TJ Maxx collection:

:D









:evilgrin:

[Maddy McCall]

56. Pants-eating monster...nom nom nom...

:evilgrin:

[Swamp Rat]

58. HAHAHA!!!

:rofl: :spank:

I just ate 2 lbs. of fellas bigger than these: :9



and a 10 lb. sack of crawfish.... I am so full....... ungh! :P

[informatico]

52. Obama is a cook personality

I see why Abercrombie wants to associate with him. He has a cook persona and great aura.

[ProSense]

54. Gallup took a poll, more people think Hillary is a snob

Stupid? Blame it on Hillary and her asinine bitter-gate hype.

[LisaM]

55. I totally noticed the one with the giant letters running down sideways

It was distacting. The A&F store here is about as obnoxious as can be. The loud music doesn't bug me so much, but they seem to be spraying perfume (cheap) into the street, and it's fairly dark inside with a kind of strobe effect going on. I know that (downtown Seattle) store is being replaced by an H&M in the fall.

You would think they'd vet that a little, though you would also think that people on stage, if they're going to wear branded gear, would be wearing a union jacket or shirt, something from their school, or something that would not just identify where they would from, but would imply some connection that's good for the candidate. I am not saying the campaigns should make them do this. I would think that the people on the stage would think it up for themselves.

And what's up with the huge logos? Someone here showed up last year in Polo stuff where the logo was about ten times bigger than it used to be and I thought it was a fake at first!

[jmg257]

57. A&F, Hollister, or AE. not that big a stretch these days for similar brand attire.

Though it COULD be a strategic subliminal message to attract young & hip voters?