To successfully communicate a fashion brand, not only the advertising message itself has to match with the relevant target group, but also the right media have to be used to address the target group. Communication that wants to catch the brands’ target group and wants to be noticed has to meet exactly their lifestyle and attitude. Solely methods of mass communication do not reach the individual target audiences anymore. That is why new ways of communication become more important.
This thesis provides a framework of marketing communication strategies, traditional and up-to-date ones, which can be applied to the target groups of the fashion market. Those strategies can be combined almost unlimited. However, the media planning should be carried out target group oriented. With the help of four relevant target audiences and their use of media will be exemplified how a brand can find the suitable strategies for its target group.
Knowing how to define whether a strategy was successful, is just as important as gaining the attention of customers through this strategy. Therefore, it will be determined which measurements of efficiency are applicable for which marketing communication strategies.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Preface
1.2 Objectives
1.3 Delimitation of the subject
1.4 The approach
2 Fundamentals of brand communication
2.1 The identity-oriented process of brand management
2.2 Goals of the identity-oriented process of brand management
2.3 Promotion and communication
2.4 Types of communication
2.5 Ways to communicate
2.6 Marketing communications
3 Marketing communication strategies
3.1 Template for a general strategic plan
3.2 The strategies
3.2.1 Advertisements
3.2.1.1 Print advertisements
3.2.1.2 Outdoor advertisements
3.2.1.3 Traditional electronic advertisements
3.2.1.4 Online advertisements
3.2.2 Editorial coverage
3.2.2.1 Editorial coverage in print publications
3.2.2.2 Editorial coverage in online press and in online presences of print publications
3.2.3 Product placements
3.2.4 Collaborations
3.2.4.1 Celebrity endorsements
3.2.4.2 Celebrity placements
3.2.4.3 Co-branding
3.2.5 Events and sponsorships
3.2.5.1 Sponsored events
3.2.5.2 Corporate events
3.2.5.3 Fashion shows
3.2.6 Guerilla marketing and viral marketing
3.2.7 Web presentation
3.2.7.1 Corporate videos
3.2.7.2 Corporate blog
3.2.7.3 Corporate website
3.2.7.4 E-mail newsletter
3.2.7.5 Social networking strategies
3.2.7.6 Search engine optimization
3.2.8 Mobile strategies
3.2.9 Recommendations
3.2.9.1 Content sharing and content curation
3.2.9.2 Blogger marketing
4 Measurements of efficiency
4.1 Economic advertising impact
4.2 Testing
4.3 Marketing research
4.4 Media response analysis
4.5 Advertising value equivalence
4.6 Web controlling
4.7 Social media monitoring
5 Relevant targeted customer segments and their use of media
5.1 Fragmentation of target audiences through market segmentation
5.2 The target audiences
5.2.1 Fast fashion customer
5.2.2 Fashion opinion leader
5.2.3 Luxury and premium customer
5.2.4 Active adults
6 The suitable measurements of efficiency and target audiences for each strategy
6.1 Advertisements
6.1.1 Print advertisements
6.1.2 Outdoor advertisements
6.1.3 Traditional electronic advertisements
6.1.4 Online advertisements
6.2 Editorial coverage
6.2.1 Editorial coverage in print publications
6.2.2 Editorial coverage in online press and in online presences of print publications
6.3 Product placements
6.4 Collaborations
6.4.1 Celebrity endorsements
6.4.2 Celebrity placements
6.4.3 Co-branding
6.5 Events and sponsorships
6.5.1 Sponsored events
6.5.2 Corporate events
6.5.3 Fashion shows
6.6 Guerilla marketing and viral marketing
6.7 Web presentation
6.7.1 Corporate videos
6.7.2 Corporate blog
6.7.3 Corporate website
6.7.4 E-mail newsletter
6.7.5 Social networking strategies
6.7.6 Search engine optimization
6.8 Mobile strategies
6.9 Recommendations
6.9.1 Content sharing and content curation
6.9.2 Blogger marketing
7 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This thesis examines the evolving landscape of marketing communication within the fashion industry, specifically focusing on how brands can effectively reach diverse consumer segments. It addresses the challenges posed by market fragmentation and shifting customer habits, aiming to provide a comprehensive framework for selecting, implementing, and evaluating appropriate communication strategies in a digital and highly competitive environment.
- Theoretical foundations of modern brand management and communication
- Strategic planning templates for fashion marketing campaigns
- Detailed analysis of diverse communication channels, including digital, viral, and experiential strategies
- Methodologies for measuring the efficiency and impact of various marketing efforts
- Segmentation of target audiences and their specific media consumption patterns
Excerpt from the book
3.2.1.2 Outdoor advertisements
An outdoor advertisement is advertising in public streets, places or points, which are accessible for a larger audience. Outdoor advertising is every advertising outside of closed rooms. Typically, it often only means billboards.
This type of advertising addresses a large number of consumers at the same time or consecutively at a certain place. It has a high coverage and frequency of contacts. However, an activating design is important, because it competes with many other stimuli.
There are different forms of outdoor advertisements:
-Billboards: Billboards are the traditional and most important form of outdoor advertising. They are rife, well known, and generally accepted. Although it is placed in public, the billboard reaches its target audience, because it can be placed precisely, for example at trade fairs, at public and private buildings, and at shops. One advantage of billboards is their ability to reach a precise geographical coverage. Another one is that it can be placed near the point of sale in inner cities.
-Permanent advertisements: Stationary advertising that is placed at fixed spaces like stores, faces of buildings, house walls or house gables. The advertising material is permanent, so it can also be a painting. Permanent advertising is a special form of outdoor advertising that is not changing regularly, but persists for a longer period.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the context of the thesis, outlining the challenges in the fashion industry such as market fragmentation and media saturation, and defines the research scope.
Fundamentals of brand communication: Explains the identity-oriented process of brand management, the goals of brand equity, and the transition from traditional promotion to modern communication.
Marketing communication strategies: Offers a structured approach to planning marketing campaigns and details various specific instruments like advertisements, PR, product placements, and digital strategies.
Measurements of efficiency: Discusses various methodologies to evaluate marketing success, including laboratory testing, tracking studies, media response analysis, and digital web controlling.
Relevant targeted customer segments and their use of media: Classifies key fashion customer groups—fast fashion, opinion leaders, luxury/premium, and active adults—and identifies their specific media behaviors.
The suitable measurements of efficiency and target audiences for each strategy: Connects the previously defined strategies with the appropriate metrics for success and identifies the best-fit target audiences for each.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, emphasizing the need for multi-channel, flexible communication strategies that adapt to the fast-moving fashion environment.
Keywords
Brand management, Marketing communication, Fashion industry, Strategic planning, Market segmentation, Target audience, Advertising, Digital marketing, Efficiency measurement, Social media monitoring, Influencer marketing, Consumer behavior, Brand equity, Guerilla marketing, Media response analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The work investigates the currently relevant marketing communication strategies for fashion brands and examines how these can be systematically implemented and measured in an increasingly complex business environment.
What are the central themes of the research?
The core themes include the identity-oriented management of brands, the classification of various advertising and digital communication strategies, the analysis of specific fashion consumer segments, and the methods used to evaluate campaign efficiency.
What is the central research objective?
The goal is to provide a framework that assists fashion brands in selecting appropriate communication strategies for specific target groups and determining the most effective metrics to evaluate these strategies.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The thesis utilizes a literature-based theoretical approach, combining established marketing theories with current industry practices, and develops a structured guide for media planning and efficiency control.
What content is covered in the main section of the work?
The main part details the strategic planning process, various communication tools (from traditional print to viral marketing), methods for measuring impact (such as web analytics and tracking studies), and profiles of four specific target audiences.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key concepts include brand communication, strategic marketing, target group analysis, efficiency measurement, social media marketing, and the specific dynamics of the fashion industry.
Why is there a shift in how fashion brands must communicate today?
Brands are moving away from mass marketing to micro-segmented markets due to the proliferation of media channels and increasing consumer demand for individual, authentic communication experiences.
How does the author define the "fast fashion customer"?
The fast fashion customer is typically young (15-24 years old), materialistic, budget-conscious, and highly responsive to rapid trend cycles and non-subtle, high-impact marketing campaigns.
What is the "g-value" mentioned in the context of outdoor advertising?
The g-value is a key metric used to evaluate the positioning and performance of outdoor advertisements (like billboards) by considering the number of pedestrians per hour who are likely to remember the ad at a specific location.
How can a brand successfully work with fashion bloggers?
Successful collaboration requires "influencer marketing" rather than traditional PR; brands must build genuine relationships, offer personalized pitches, and ensure the brand or product aligns with the blogger's specific style and lifestyle.
- Citation du texte
- Karola Schwindt (Auteur), 2014, Marketing communication strategies for fashion brands and measurements of efficiency, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/285683
