No they didn't. It's a safety product being advertised via a depiction of the consequences of not having any protection at all. It's the same as car ads for features such as the first truly sophisticated anti-lock brakes in the late 80s and early 90s, which showed drivers narrowly avoiding crashes while their fellow…

I have less of a problem with this marketing in comparison to the "buy into our cool lifestyle" bullshit that many companies, including A&F push so heavily. Either my priorities are fucked or I just appreciate the unconventional.

You're missing the point, he isnt wearing the swimwear. So it's "wear our stuff or you can die orrible, terrifying death that involved your lungs filling with water and your own desperate attempts to scrabble at the nothing of the uncaring sea— and look terrible at the same time."

They also sell, y'know, lifejackets. In fact, most of their stuff seems to be utility-ish gear.