Abercrombie & Fitch willing to pay cast members of the dreadful 'Jersey Shore' to stop wearing their clothes

FASHION BRAND DAMAGE: This is rather amusing.

On Tuesday, clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch said it would offer "substantial payment" to MTV's The Jersey Shore's cast members to stop wearing the brand on air. "We are deeply concerned that Mr. Sorrentino's association with our brand could cause significant damage to our image. We understand that the show is for entertainment purposes, but believe this association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans," an Abercrombie & Fitch spokesperson said in a statement. "We have also extended this offer to other members of the cast, and are urgently waiting a response."

I can understand their rationale. It's hard to argue anything, or anyone, would ever want to be associated with that dreadful piece of television. It is somewhat reminiscent of Louis Vuitton's constant battles to protect the famous monogram canvas design and pattern. Businesses – particularly those which rely so heavily on the 'aspirational' image described in the quoted passage – seem to spend so much of their time and attention on protecting the brand they wish to cultivate and maintain.