0bjective three

conclusion conclusion

This research report was conducted to investigate how mid-market womenswear brands can utilise their branding in order to become distinctive to Generation Z consumers. In order to answer this question, thorough secondary and primary research was conducted which has led to the following findings.

Branding has evolved from concentrating on just products to being used to communicating brand values. In the past, consumers loved catchy slogans that made a product memorable to them. Whilst slogans are still used in branding, it is more important to consumers to hear about what the brand believes in and what they are doing to change the world for the better. Marketing models have evolved in the same way as the 4ps moves from product and price focused to purpose driven. This mirrors changing consumer desires. In order for a mid-market womenswear brand to become distinctive to Generation Z, they need to use their branding to communicate their purpose. They need to consider what they are doing to assist society and ensure that their consumers are aware of this. This is a key factor in what makes Generation Z attracted to a brand.

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2Generation Z consumers are less attracted to brands that are using the ‘millennial’ branding trend and ‘blanding’ techniques. This look of simplicity and pastel visually pleasing colours suit many brands however Generation Z are becoming attracted to the brands that are doing something different. The ‘Y2K’ branding trend which includes bold and bright design is becoming increasingly popular among Generation Z. Findings from a qualitative survey uncovered that Generation Z are happy for brands to rebrand if it is to create a new, more modern aesthetic. In addition to this, responses showed that Generation Z consumers are more likely to remember a brand if they have used bright colours and creative design in their branding. Many current mid-market womenswear brands use simple branding and this may affect how Generation Z interact with them. This is a change that many mid-market womenswear brands could adopt in order to become distinctive to Generation Z consumers. 3 Finally, brands are becoming more humanised and this trend is predicted to grow. Generation Z consumers want brands to have personality traits and for these to be used in their brand communications. This can be used in branding as well as marketing and communication campaigns. Generation Z consumers do not have a specific personality trait that they’d like brands to have however they want the brand to use traits that suit the brand and the brands audience. Therefore, mid-market womenswear brands need to discover their personality and ensure that it aligns with their current and future consumers. In addition to this, the future of branding is predicted to include literal brand voices being created to add another dimension to their communications. This can include a brand voice being used over devices such as Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa. The future of branding and the use of AI means brands will become more human in the future. In order to make midmarket womenswear brands distinctive to Generation Z, their branding teams need to create a succinct brand personality and voice. This means that they will be able to develop this personality as AI becomes more commonly used by brands and consumers.

the next step the next step

These findings can assist brands in their journey to becoming more distinctive to Generation Z consumers and ultimately gain more Generation Z consumers. In order to communicate how a brand could utilise these findings, a brand book is going to be created. This brand book will be an updated branding bible for Warehouse. Warehouse is a mid-market womenswear brand that went into administration in 2020. This led to all their brick and mortar stores closing and Warehouse becoming an online only retailer. Their clothing range has the same style/aesthetic as brands such as ASOS and Zara but they are struggling to gain attention from Generation Z consumers. ASOS and Zara are popular brands among Generation Z so Warehouse has the potential to become a go-to brand. Therefore, an updated brand book that utilises the findings from this research report will assist Warehouse in rejuvenating the brand. The brand book will include a new logo design, brand personality and mock-ups of their e-commerce channels and brand communications. This brand book will show how Warehouse can use branding to rejuvenate their brand and become distinctive to Generation Z.

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