Fashion marketing in emerging economies. Volume I : brand, consumer and sustainability perspectives

Over the past few decades emerging markets have experienced an increased share of global manufacturing service within the fashion industry, coupled with an increasing market share, particularly for women's mid-market apparel. In order for fashion firms to succeed in these markets it is crucial to gain an understanding of the state of the industry, macro-environmental factors, traditions and religious beliefs. A one-size-fits-all approach to global fashion marketing strategy now requires a step-change; fashion firms require dedicated strategies which fit the need of the fashion brands that are operating or seeking to operate within emerging markets. In this contributed volume, authors shed light on fashion marketing strategy for emerging economies and recognise these markets as major growth centres. Chapters explore core topics such as brand management, sustainability, digital marketing, analytics and data science. Covering a wide range of emerging markets, chapters provide case studies from China, India, Ethiopia, Romania, Turkey, Brazil and Nigeria, among others. This book responds to the growing demand for research, information, recommendations and insight from practitioners, entrepreneurs and academics who are eager to understand marketing strategies, tools and technologies that will work within this unique industry. Frederica Brooksworth is an academic, researcher and strategist and a lecturer at the London College of Fashion. Brooksworth is also the Director of the Fashion Education Group and Founder of the Council for International African Fashion Education. She specialises in business management, marketing and branding, professional development, EdTech and Curriculum development. Emmanuel Mogaji is a Senior Lecturer in Advertising and Marketing Communications at the University of Greenwich. Emmanuel's primary area of interest is ABCDE of Marketing Communications - Advertising, Branding, Communications, Digital and Ethics. He has authored and edited over ten books on branding, fashion marketing and higher education. Genevieve Bosah is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, where she specialises in Public Relations, Media and Branding. Before coming to academia, she worked as a communications consultant for international organisations and national governmental agencies. She held public relations advisory roles and developed communication and stakeholder management strategies Contents 6 Notes on Contributors 8 List of Figures 12 List of Tables 14 Part I: Introduction 15 1: Fashion Marketing in Emerging Economies: An Introduction 16 Introduction 16 Defining Emerging Markets 18 Fashion in Emerging Markets 19 The Objective of the Book 23 Target Audience 23 Outline of the Book 24 Conclusion 27 References 29 Part II: Fashion Marketing in Emerging Economies: Consumer and Brand Building Perspectives 34 2: Fashion Brands and Emerging Markets’ Opportunities: A Literature Review from a Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Perspective 35 Introduction 35 Methodology 36 Results and Discussions 38 Fashion Consumption in Emerging Markets (EMs) 38 The New Middle Class 38 Approach to Fashion and Purchasing Intentions 40 Luxury Consumption 41 Luxury as a Status Signal in EMs 41 Luxury Experience: The New Consumer’s Generation 42 Fashion Products’ Perception in Emerging Markets (EMs) 43 The Impact of Country-Related Cues 43 Counterfeit Issues 45 African Inspiration 46 Conclusions 48 Appendix: Alphabetical List of the Journals Considered for the Literature Review 51 References 52 3: Fashion Weeks and Customer Experiences in Emerging Markets 58 Introduction 58 Research Methodology 60 Literature Review 63 History and Development of Fashion Weeks Shows 64 Fashion Weeks and Customer Experiences in Emerging Markets 66 Consumer Experiences 71 Analysis of Research and Findings 72 Theoretical Considerations 74 Two-Step Model of Communication and Interaction Model of Communication 74 Conclusion and Recommendation 75 Political Stability and Support 76 Supporting Domestic Manufacture 76 Supporting Fashion Education 77 Partnerships and Sponsorships 77 National Design Councils and Organisations 78 Implementing Technologies and Stronger Digital Presence 78 Collaborative Events 79 Cultural Events 80 Consistency of Shows 80 Promoting Domestic Fashion 80 References 81 4: Will I Follow My Ideal Self Everywhere? Exploring Consumers’ Perceptions Towards Fast Fashion Influencers on Instagram 87 Introduction 87 Literature Review 90 The Growing Popularity of “Fast Fashion” 90 The Rise of Social Media Influencers 90 Opinion Leaders 92 Social Influence Theory 93 Para-Social Relationships and Wishful Identification 94 Self-Concept and Perceived Congruence 94 The Research Objective 96 Research Methodology 96 Findings 99 Fashion Leadership and Trends 100 Outfit Inspiration 100 Browsing for New Fashion Trends 102 Self-Concept and Fit 104 Ideal Personality and Lifestyle 104 Relatable Influencers 106 Perceived Unrelatability 108 Sponsorship Effect 109 No Effect 109 Perceived Loss of Sense of Style 110 Conclusion and Implications 111 References 113 5: Emerging Economies in Fashion Global Value Chains: Brand Positioning and Managerial Implications 119 Introduction 119 Fashion in Emerging Economies 121 Emerging Economies in Fashion Global Value Chain 123 Recommendations for Fashion Marketing in Emerging Economies 128 Positioning the Brand 129 Communicating the Brand 130 Engaging the Stakeholders 131 Engaging with Experts 132 Exploring Creative Options 133 Conclusion 134 References 137 Part III: Fashion Marketing in Emerging Economies: Sustainability and Social Responsibility Perspectives 144 6: Communication of CSR Practices and Apparel Industry in India—Perspectives of Companies and Consumers 145 Introduction 145 Literature Review 149 Methods 151 Results and Discussion 154 CSR Practices—Apparel Companies Websites 154 CSR Practices—Online Consumer Reviews 156 Conclusion 161 References 162 7: Sustainability and the Supply Chain 170 Introduction 170 The Rise of Emerging Economies 172 Exploring the Issues: Fast-Paced Growth Leading to Shifting Power 173 Challenges in Cost and Rising Inflation 174 Trade and Tariff Uncertainty 175 The Impact of Governing Bodies and Stakeholders 177 Green Marketing and Greenwashing 179 Green Marketing Where ‘Net Green’ Is Explored in the Emerging Market of India 181 Case Study 181 The Lack of Regulation and Possible Solutions 182 Sourcing—Sustainable Supply Chains in Emerging Economies 183 The Barriers and Potential Solution of Reducing Carbon Emissions in Indian Cotton Production 183 Garment Manufacturing in Emerging Economies 190 Workers’ Rights and the Pay Gap 190 Auditing Garment Manufacturers 191 Global Commitment on Living Wages 194 Sustainable Futures in Garment Manufacturing 195 Future Focus on New Areas for Development in Emerging Economies 195 Development of Artisan Craftsmanship as a Partnership or Collaboration 196 Knowledge Partnership and Collaboration 197 Supply Management Technological Innovations 197 Sustainable Business Models in the Supply Chain 198 The Value Chain 199 Collaborative Business Strategies in Emerging Economies 200 Circularity and the Value Chain 202 Corporate Social Responsibility 203 Conclusion 206 Appendix 207 References 224 8: Sustainable Fashion in Ghana: An Exploratory Study of Fashion Designers’ Knowledge, Practices and Challenges 228 Introduction 228 Materials and Methods 230 Results 231 Demographic Background Characteristics of Respondents 231 Knowledge of Sustainable Fashion 231 Importance of Slow Fashion 234 Practices of Sustainable Fashion in Ghana 234 Challenges 237 Discussion 238 Conclusion 240 References 241 9: Sustainable Fashion: The Case of a Mexican BCorp 244 Introduction 244 Social Media in the Fashion Industry 245 Sustainability in the Fashion Industry 246 Sustainable Fashion 248 BCorps and Sustainable Fashion 249 Methodology 250 Someone Somewhere: The Mexican Case of a BCorp 250 Mexico and Sustainable Fashion 250 Someone Somewhere’s Profile 252 The Marketing Mix 254 Product 254 Price 254 Supply Chain and Distribution Channels 254 Someone Somewhere and Its Online Presence 256 Website 256 Social Media Presence 257 Facebook 257 Twitter 258 Instagram 258 YouTube 259 Discussion 259 Conclusion 261 References 262 Part IV: Conclusion 271 10: Brand, Consumer and Sustainability Perspectives in Fashion Marketing: Conclusion and Research Agenda 272 Introduction 272 References 281 Index 284