Behind the seams: How do marketers use transparency as a branding strategy in Finnish fashion companies?
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School of Business |
Master's thesis
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en
Pages
59+17
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Abstract
The fashion industry faces significant challenges related to the environment and social responsibility, of which consumers are becoming increasingly aware. To meet the changing consumers’ demands and comply with future regulations, companies strive for greater sustainability. Amidst these changes, many companies have decided to be more transparent about their supply chain, pricing, and other aspects. As transparency has gained more prominence and the demand for sustainable business practices has been increasing, brands should think strategically about how to do it. The previous research shows that transparency positively impacts brand authenticity, trust, equity, and consumers’ purchase intentions and attitudes, which motivates brands to use transparency even more. To effectively use transparency in branding, marketers should know how to use it. This research aims to dig into how fashion marketers utilize transparency in branding with the following research question: How do marketers use transparency as a branding strategy? This question seeks to understand the thinking, motivations, and strategies that guide these marketers in choosing to use transparency in their branding. To answer the research question, a qualitative semi- structured interview method was selected as the research approach. The data was collected in interviews with 8 participants from different micro and small fashion brands in Finland. The findings of the study reveal that marketers strategically use transparency in branding. Three strategies are identified: transparency is not used for branding, transparency is present in everything but not part of the branding, and transparency is used for branding. Also, several positive and negative factors influence the use of transparency in branding. Positive factors include external pressures, ambitions to set a positive example, and a positive impact on customer relationships. Negative factors include protecting competitive advantage, greenwashing, consumer disinterest, and protection against price transparency shock. The study also sheds light on several aspects of how, transparency is used in branding in practice. There are differences in the type of transparency, but there are similarities in communicating transparency. Marketers see that alignment with the brand, positivity, and clarity are important. Transparency should also be backed up with actions, authority, and data. Some marketers utilize the authority of external operators, such as influencers, third-party rankings, and certifications.Description
Thesis advisor
Bhatnagar, KushagraPadhaiskaya, Tatsiana