NEW ALBANY, Ohio, Sept. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Abercrombie & Fitch Co.'s (NYSE: ANF) Hollister brand today announced its 2015 anti-bullying campaign, All Equal. In partnership with indie-pop siblings, Echosmith, known for their hit single, 'Cool Kids', the program helps increase anti-bullying awareness. Now in its third year, the campaign continues to gain momentum and aims to reach more than 1 million middle and high school students around the world this year. Since launching the initiative in 2013, the company has donated more than $400,000 to supporting causes, reached over 750,000 students and awarded scholarships to 20 deserving students.
Hollister and Echosmith partner for All Equal, an anti-bullying campaign
Hollister Girls T-Shirt in support of All Equal, an anti-bullying campaign with Echosmith
Hollister Girls T-Shirt in support of All Equal, an anti-bullying campaign with Echosmith
Hollister Boys T-Shirt in support of All Equal, an anti-bullying campaign with Echosmith
Hollister Boys T-Shirt in support of All Equal, an anti-bullying campaign with Echosmith
"Many of our customers are affected by the profound and lasting impact that bullying can have," said Fran Horowitz, Brand President of Hollister. "We are passionate about supporting this cause. Our goal in bringing the All Equal campaign to schools is not only to raise awareness, but to provide students with the tools and resources they need to stand up against bullying."
The campaign features an educational video and peer-to-peer curriculum developed by renowned anti-bullying expert and clinical psychologist, Dr. Joel Haber. The video and curriculum are being distributed to more than 20,000 schools around the United States, providing students with the tools they need to prevent and overcome bullying. The program is designed to promote inclusivity and respect, and teaches students to take a stand against bullying and cyberbullying in their schools.
"Most people struggle to fit in and feel like outsiders at some point in their lives, which is why we joined this campaign and what inspired our song 'Cool Kids'," said Sydney Sierota, lead singer of Echosmith. "Anti-bullying is a cause that's close to our hearts and we're excited to work with Hollister to raise awareness around this important issue. To us, anti-bullying is about self-acceptance and love for others, and we hope that through this campaign and our music, people find inspiration in these messages.
Alongside Echosmith, Hollister has designed a line of graphic t-shirts that feature inspirational messaging to help raise awareness around anti-bullying. Starting Friday, September 11, the t-shirts will be sold in all Hollister locations in the US, and online at www.HollisterCo.com. In addition, the company will launch a round-up program in all US Hollister stores, allowing customers to round up their purchase price to the nearest dollar. The first $100,000 of proceeds* from the graphic t-shirt line and round-up program will be donated to No Bully, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that leverages student empathy to stop bullying and cyberbullying. For information on how No Bully is bringing schools innovative solutions to bullying, visit www.nobully.com. All additional proceeds will be donated to other charitable organizations that support the health and wellness of kids and teens.
A key component of the initiative is a college scholarship program that honors outstanding students around the world who have persevered academically while experiencing bullying, as well as those who have led the fight against bullying in their schools and communities. Through a partnership with the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) Foundation, the company will award 10 renewable scholarships in the amount of $2,500 to students starting college in the 2016 school year. Interested applicants can find out more information at www.nshssfoundation.org.
Horowitz said, "These students play an important role in the campaign. Alongside Echosmith, previous scholarship recipients are featured in this year's educational video. We hope that their messages of inclusion and strategies for combating bullying inspire students to join the movement."
*Proceeds equal sale price minus the cost to produce the tee.
About Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is a leading global specialty retailer of high-quality, casual apparel for Men, Women and kids with an active, youthful lifestyle under its Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids and Hollister Co. brands. At the end of the second quarter, the Company operated 783 stores in the United States and 171 stores across Canada, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The Company also operates e-commerce websites at www.Abercrombie.com, www.abercrombiekids.com and www.HollisterCo.com.
About Echosmith LA-based alt-pop band Echosmith first emerged onto the scene in 2014, with the success of their debut album Talking Dreams and platinum hit 'Cool Kids' propelling them into the spotlight. They quickly earned rave reviews from the likes of ELLE, Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, and Grantland for their distinctive melody-minded, New Wave-influenced sound, and have performed everywhere from Ellen and Late Night with Seth Meyers to the American Idol finale. Jimmy Fallon has now dubbed them "one of the biggest breakout acts of 2015," thanks to Gold smash 'Bright' and new single 'Let's Love', which they debuted with back-to-back performances on The Tonight Show and The Today Show. The Sierotas –Sydney (vocals/keyboard), Jamie (vocals/guitar), Noah (vocals/bass), and Graham (drums) –have played to crowds of thousands at festivals and with sold-out shows in the U.S. and Europe, and even joined Taylor Swift as special guests on her 1989 Tour in Philadelphia to perform 'Cool Kids'. Echosmith is on tour for the foreseeable future in 2015, playing festivals around the world and as support on Twenty One Pilots' U.S. tour this fall.
Share this article