Never before has it been so easy to get caught up in the ever-changing world of fashion. It seems everywhere you look, there’s a baby pink bus or taxis so garishly bright they could glow in the dark.
In years gone by, fashion had been something reserved for those who had the disposable income to move effortlessly with the times. However, since the emergence of ‘fast fashion’ all that has changed, so much so that the brands leading the race have become now household names.
High-end Italian-named designers are still alive and kicking, but the mouths of the youth have been filled with much brasher, in-your-face, slogan type names, of giant pastel-coloured corporations.
But how can we throw a blanket over those leading the fast fashion race? Well, honestly, grouping them has never been easier when it comes down to the branding and marketing of those at the forefront, and even those in their wake.
Standing out
Competition is fierce, and trust us, being based in Manchester is like being deep in the heart of the fast fashion battle zone. With some of the biggest retailers based a couple of miles from each other within our city walls. Competition for those Manchester marketing hotspots has never been more contested.
Fast fashion screams where high fashion whispers. As many of the big players in the fast fashion sector haven’t been around too long, it’s absolutely vital to stand out and shout to win those customers, and this is where the battle begins. When it comes to standing out, nothing does it quite like a hot pink or a fluorescent yellow. Therefore, everyone is using them, so the next big brand in this sector will follow suit.
Mimicking a larger brand is also done to potentially sway a customer from a brand they already know by making them feel comfortable with something similar looking.
Therefore standing out when it comes to colour schemes and branding is more a case of fitting in.
Online and offline!
Fast fashion moguls want to be on the minds of those who sit behind a computer all day, and also those who are forever on the move. They want wagging tongues, constant conversation and an endless flurry of ‘where did you get that from’ type of questions.
But how is that attained in an industry where everyone is so similar?
Well, this is largely what gets the mouths of those young and thought-provoking marketeers salivating. The idea of managing a large scale all-inclusive fast fashion marketing campaign is something which will never be passed-up on by a creative agency. Within Manchester, there are plenty waiting for the call.
Once again, it’s mostly a case of innovation for the front runners and following suit for those who have far fewer cards in their hands. We see the hashtag generation using similar tags to promote one product over another, whether it be #girlgang #ootd or indeed #ootw dependant on how confident you are in your outfit!
User-generated content has become pivotal in the fast fashion sector, with many companies incentivising the creation of content by its customers, with competitions, giveaways etc. There are many customers who would hashtag a company with the chance of being used on their instagram profile or even just the story.
The influencer platform is another way that the giant pink meteors land straight in front of you. For every influencer, there will be countless brands trying to contact them, offering free clothes, discounts and even fees to create content for their brand.
Some social media influencer agencies exist purely to create fierce competition in the fashion sector, with some agencies forming strong relationships with brands, creating bidding wars for the most influential influencer, or the most sought-after photographers.
There are countless ways that fast fashion companies do battle, and plenty of work for creative, marketing and branding agencies to compete for, whether it’s on or offline. From billboards to buses, from Facebook ads to live video and everything in between.
But the one thing that stands out is the over-reliance on standing out and in turn fitting in, but if everybody end up standing out with strong colours, will they all end up being lost in the mix?
If you want some advice on your start-up business or if you are looking at moving into the fast fashion sector, give us a call.
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