The Naked Truth of Abercrombie & FitchTo what extent is it acceptable, in an age of moral change and growing acceptance of sex and violence in entertainment, to use sex to sell to consumers? Does this definition of acceptable change when the consumers are minor children and adolescents? We all know that "sex sells," but deciding where to draw the line is becoming increasingly difficult as what is acceptable is redefined with each new generation. When does a company's tactics go from representing progress to having crossed the line? Well, in the case of Abercrombie & Fitch they continue to push the envelope. A&F Quarterly was a hybrid magazine-catalog periodical sold by Abercrombie and Fitch from fall 1997 to December 2003. The Quarterly's circulation averaged 1 to 1.2 million during the late 1990s. The publication, published four times a year, featured articles about college life, photo essays by Bruce Weber, and advertisements for the company's clothing. In addition to that, the company's 280-page book included nude young adult models in highly suggestive poses, as well as articles about sex, items apparently intended to promote the clothing retailer's brand among college-age customers. In December 2003, Abercrombie and Fitch decided to discontinue publication of its quarterly magazine, which it had been publishing in addition to its catalogs since 1997. In a statement released at the time of the recall, Abercrombie said: "Although it has been successful with the quarterly magazine Over the years, the company believes it's time to rethink and looks forward to unveiling an innovative and exciting campaign this spring." “We just thought it was time to retire it and come back with something that has beautiful imagery and classic photos,” Hampton Carney, a company spokesperson, told the Times. "...But that doesn't mean they will become totally conservative and lose their nerve. According to CNN.com, Abercrombie said the magazine's withdrawal was due to the need for counter space for a perfume, but opponents of the catalog say it was in response to protests against its racy content, such as nude models and articles about sex. Criticism is not new to Abercrombie's marketing strategies as the National Coalition to Protect Children and Families. According to the New York Times, from several For years, the American Decency Association and the organization Focus on the Family have protested against its sexual content.