The American retail chain American Apparel is famous for its low prices, and nearly pornographic commercial campaigns. The company has decided to make a change to its campaign. The founder and executive director of the company, Dov Charney, has now decided to launch a political assault on America's immigration policy.

The new black-and-white poster shows two workers from Guatemala with Charney’s statement underneath. The campaign claims that status quo contributes to apartheid, and should be reviewed. This would enable workers that do not have documents to get US citizenship.

Dov Charney is a slightly controversial character in the United States. Besides their sexy advertising campaigns, he and his company are known for their social sensitivity – the fact that they do not abuse their workers, and their pro-immigration policy. On May 1, 2006, Charney closed his factory so that his workers could attend a pro-immigration gathering that he also attended. In December 2007, he published an ad in the New York Times in which he voiced his support for the integration of workers without documents to the American workforce. So this turnaround is his campaign is not totally unexpected, but focusing on something that was until now, a second priority. Take a look at some of the commercial campaigns of his brand HERE.

Sex or social politics?

Many have asked themselves, which of these two things is American Apparel known for, which attracts buyers – sex or social politics? With all due respect to social sensitivity, but it seems that the sexy campaigns are what attracts buyers the most. This can be seen in the many videos on the internet that are a parody on American Apparel commercials. Take a look at one of them HERE.

Sex in the commercials, sex in the company as well

American Apparel campaigns are special in the sense that they use real beauties in their campaigns. They do not have fake breasts, hair extensions, and do not wear suspender stockings. They are sexy because they are naturally beautiful. Besides the commercials, great attention is paid to the sexual escapades of Charney himself. Some claim that during a series of interviews for the Jane magazine, he masturbated and had oral sex in front of the journalist. But that is not all! Three former employees sued him for sexual harassment, and two of them settled those claims outside of court.

Clear social stances

Even though people perceive Charney’s relationship to women in various ways, some think that he makes objects out of women, whilst others think there is nothing wrong with his commercials. Only one thing is certain – his social stance is always clear. Only now he has moved them to his main focus.

Charney is not afraid of controversial publicity.

Let me be clear about who makes our clothing. This is cooperation between people born in America and those who were not born here. I do not think that supporting immigration is bad for the brand, in fact, it looks like we are doing a responsible job, said Charney who exports to Asia, and not from it. Take a look at the video about American Apparel HERE.