Abercrombie & Fitch has long shaped its products and image around the stereotypical Ivy League look - polo shirts and chinos are pillars of its product line, and collegiate-looking models frolic on billboards and in advertisements.
But Abercrombie is now even closer to the Ivy League - Brown's campus features prominently in the clothier's "Lifestyle" video, at www.abercrombie.com.
In the video, female models drive a Cadillac convertible along George Street, next to the Main Green; Maddock Alumni Center and Nicholson House are also briefly shown. The Brown Stadium features prominently, as well - the video includes male models playing football with cheerleaders performing in the background. Though Brown's name never appears in the video, Mark Nickel, director of the Brown News Service, confirmed that portions of the short film were shot on campus.
The University's involvement in the advertisement was an "incidental kind of thing," Nickel said, stressing that "there's no implied endorsement of anything."
This is why Brown required that the commercial include nothing that identified the location, like the University's seal, or signs bearing Brown's name.
An American flag replaced the Brown flag that normally hangs in front of Maddock. But a Brown seal on the stadium wall is briefly visible in the background of some of the footage at the stadium.
According to Nickel, the University received only an "insignificant" payment for offering campus property as a filming location. "Money is just not much of an issue here," he said.
Abercrombie & Fitch's representatives could not be reached for comment.
Brown's campus has made commercial appearances before, including in scenes from a documentary filmed in Metcalf Chemistry Lab. Nickel said the campus is filmed for various purposes on a fairly regular basis, about a half-dozen times annually.
Most requests to film are granted, unless the filming will feature students or commercialize the campus, Nickel said.
But one student said she wasn't thrilled that Brown allowed Abercrombie to film without consulting the student body.
Frances Baldwin '06 said Abercrombie's portrayal of females and the corporation's use of sexual images is troubling. That, combined with a lawsuit filed against the clothier accusing it of discriminatory hiring practices, left Baldwin wondering if Brown should see if students want certain companies filming on campus.
But some students weren't as concerned about Abercrombie's use of the campus.
"I guess I don't have a problem with it," said Harrison Noffs '07.
"If they're not using (Brown's) name, you know, not commercializing or anything," it's fine, said Megan Layton '08.
