Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood

Tell Nationwide Children’s Hospital: No Naming Rights For Abercrombie & Fitch

Thongs for 10-year-olds that say “eye candy.” Shirts with slogans like “Who needs brains when you have these?” and “Do I make you look fat?” Ads touting group sex to sell clothing to teens and preteens. When it comes to sexualizing children, Abercrombie & Fitch is among the worst corporate offenders.

That’s why it’s so egregious that Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio is planning to rename its emergency room The Abercrombie & Fitch Emergency Department and Trauma Center in exchange for a $10 million donation. These naming rights will entwine an institution of healing with a company whose advertising is notorious for undermining children's wellbeing and will promote the exploitive Abercrombie brand to children in a hospital setting.

Please take a moment to tell Nationwide Children's Hospital not to sell naming rights to Abercrombie and Fitch.

Your letter will be sent to:

Steve Allen MD, Chief Executive Officer

Rick Miller, President and Chief Operating Officer

J. Terrance Davis MD, Interim Chief Medical Officer

Michael Brady MD, Physician-In-Chief and Chairman of the Dept. of Pediatrics

Abigail S. Wexner, Chairman, Board of Directors

>>Learn More

May 21, 2013

Subject:

Dear Dr. Allen, Mr. Miller, Dr. Davis, Dr. Brady and Ms. Wexner,

I am writing to urge you not to name the Nationwide Children’s Hospital emergency room the Abercrombie & Fitch Emergency Department and Trauma Center. It is troubling that a children’s hospital would name its emergency room after a corporation that sells clothing that objectifies and demeans young people and has built its entire marketing strategy on targeting teens and preteens with highly sexualized images. Research links sexualization and objectification with some of the most pressing and common health problems for girls including depression and poor sexual health. It is equally distressing that a children’s hospital would promote a company that features impossibly thin and idealized body types in its advertising when 10 million girls and young women in the United States are struggling with an eating disorder. The Abercrombie & Fitch Emergency Department and Trauma Center marries the Abercrombie brand to your reputation; a company with a long history of undermining children’s wellbeing is now linked with healing. I urge you – for the sake of your hospital’s reputation and the heath and wellbeing of children – to rescind your offer to name your emergency room after Abercrombie & Fitch.
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