 |
|
||
 |
|||
 |
 |
 |
 | 
| ||||||||||||
Fashion firm drops 'fcuk' slogans
 After eight years, the firm is turning its back on its famous slogans. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSLONDON, England (CNN) -- Fashion company French Connection will scale down its use of its famous "fcuk" branding in favor of something "more subtle," the company said on Monday. It said use of the logo had been dropped from clothing and billboards. The move follows a slump in sales for the firm, with like-for-like sales dropping 9 percent in the first six months of the year. At the same time profits plummeted to £5.1 million from £16.2 million a year earlier. French Connection said the use of the branding would be "significantly reduced." The distinctive logo -- which stands for French Connection United Kingdom -- was created in 1997. "Use of the fcuk logo has been toned down and will be used in a much more subtle way," spokeswoman Lorna Perrin told Britain's Press Association. "Branding on the recent autumn/winter collection has been significantly reduced and used in a softer manner. "But fcuk is interchangeable with French Connection as the company's name and so will continue to be used." Sales and profits soared soon after the logo was introduced with slogans such as "fcuk advertising" and "fcuk fashion," despite occasional reprimands from the advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority. But in September the company was forced to extend its summer sale in order to clear surplus stock. Analysts said that, in tandem with tough trading conditions throughout the retail sector, consumers had become bored with the Fcuk slogan. The company issued a profit warning in July for the second time in eight months and concedes it will struggle to earn more than £20 million this year. Perrin added: "Logos are no longer prevalent in fashion collections and this is a response to the fact that our customers want something different." The company operates more than 100 stores and franchises throughout Europe. 
| | ||||||||||||
 |
|
| © 2007 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
|
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video. 
