It Is Time For
Emma Smallwood / Northumbria University
A proposed sustainable propanda campaign and business extension for Fashion Revolution, a global movement campaigning for systematic reform within the fashion industry.
Organisation
Fashion Revolution is an organisation which works towards systematic reform within the fashion industry. The UK based nonprofit global movement aims to unite consumers and companies to considerably change the way clothes are sourced, manufactured and sold. Since the organisation’s inception in 2013, as a response to the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh, Fashion Revolution has campaigned for increased supply chain transparency throughout the fashion industry. The organisation has designated the anniversary of the disaster as Fashion Revolution Week. The #Whomademyclothes campaign encourages consumers to “be curious, find out and do something,� pro-active for the employees in emerging countries by asking retailers who made their clothes through social media, writing a letter to a brand, hosting and attending events or writing a postcard to a policy maker.
The Fashion Revolution is an important and influential organisation with a message that deserves to be heard. The global organisation represents the under-represented, the approximate 75 million people who work to manufacture our clothes and who live in poverty, unable to afford the basic necessities.* The topic of sustainability is becoming more than an added extra to a retailer or fashion brand and instead an integral part of the fashion supply chain. Consumers are becoming increasingly educated about the issues surrounding the fashion industry, including unethical worker rights and material sourcing which is damaging our fragile environment, but there is still a long way to go. The challenge is to increase the awareness of the orgnisation and it’s aim by tackling the popularity and success of fast fashion and it’s negative impacts.
*Source: http://fashionrevolution.org/about/why-do-we-need-a-fashionrevolution/
S Strong, visually appealing informative website.
W and
Target audience is too broad therefore struggles to engage with specific audiences thoroughly.
Large digital presence and following. Global reach. “Get Involved” and “Donate:” encourage people to be positively proactive Press section of the website provides detailed information. A lot of their work is publicised supporting their transparent mission.
Unable to respond to student research therefore losing audience interest. No smart device application on offer. No direct collaborations to promote the organisation’s mission. Sustainability can be viewed as a challenging feat which may seem intimidating or daunting to audiences. The amount, depth and details of it’s resources might overwhelm audiences.
O Target information at a narrower target audience. Build a stronger identity amongst younger generations, for example generation Z. Work with brand ambassadors to target younger generations. Be pro-active in how to target younger generations, for example, with a university or college project.
T If the organisation is not reaching it’s optimum level of awareness then increased sustainability within the fashion industry is not developing as fast as it could. May misread the interests and desires of the target audience. Target audience losing interest in the organisation. Changing interests and desires of audiences.
Increase physical presence, for example with more events. A smart device application could increase awareness of the organisation and it’s aims. A direct collaboration with a brand could increase audience interest. Create a new up to date opti-channel campaign.
Swot
The It takes a garment worker 18 months to earn what a fashion brand CEO makes on their lunch break. On the 24th April 2013 the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed killing over 1,000 people, many of which were women. It is considered as the deadliest garment-factory collapse in history. Many of the brands with employees in this building were not aware if their workers were located in this building or not. This insight sparked the Fashion Revolution. 32 of the 100 brands in the Fashion Revolution Index are currently publishing their supplier information, but only information concerning where clothes are cut, sewn and trimmed. No brand publishes its raw material suppliers, so there is no way of knowing where our cotton, wool or other fibres come from or who produces them.* These insights suggest there is still improvements to be made in sustainability within the fashion industry. *Source: http://fashionrevolution.org/about/why-transparency-matters/ ** Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/07/26/fast-fashion-is-adisaster-for-women-and-the-environment/#603e95f01fa4
PROPOSED A business extentsion & campaign
Honest Pollution is a proposed strategic business campaign for the UK based non-profit global movement, Fashion Revolution. This propaganda campaign aims to pollute consumers’ minds with positive aspirations for the future of sustainability. The term propaganda is used to emphasise the nature of the campaign to promote sustainability throughout all areas of the fashion industry not just worker rights for example. The business extension includes Fashion Revolution’s first smart device application. The nature of the application is to inform audiences of the importance of sustainability within the fashion industry. The second business extension includes a university project which will run along side the launch of the campaign to generate increased education of supply chain transparency, renewable resources, decreasing the carbon footprint of retailers etc.
supporting
According to recent research by the Pew Research Centre for Social and Demographic Trends, millenials are more likely to be more confident, open to change and connected than their parent generations. This insight provides evidence that targeting the new Honest Pollution campaign at Generations Y & Z may increase the likelihood of it's success. The Business of Fashion-McKinsey State of Fashion 2018 report states "consumers will increasingly look to online platforms as the first point of search, attracted by their convenience, relevance and breadth offering."* This supports the concept for a brand extension into Fashion Revolution's first smart device application.
Source*: https://cdn.businessoffashion.com/reports/The_State_of_ Fashion_2018_v2.pdf
THE A business extentsion
As part of the Honest Pollution propaganda campaign, Fashion Revolution will launch their first ever smart device application available on iOS and Android. The Fashion Revolution app aims to act as an informative tool to provide pieces of editorial on the vast topic of sustainability. From educational pieces on the disaster of Rana Plaza and how we can learn from it, to brands’ own input into disclosing their supply chain information. The app is aimed at generations Y and Z due to their “mobileobsessed,” reputation and incentives will encourage these younger generations to download the app and educate themselves.
key The key objectives for the campaign are to Educate, achieve and inspire.
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The Future Laboratory recently released infomation for their predications and trends for 2018. One of these trends was shifting value codes. This trend supports the univeristy project as by educating young people on these important topics which initiate crucial conversations between retailer and consumer, their values may shift positively, evolving the fashion revolution. It has been proven by Fashion Revolution that once these crucial conversations have taken place, real achievements occur in the fashion industry, for example increased number of brands disclosing their supplier information. One of the biggest motivators is noticing a visible change. Once consumers and brands notice the changes being made to supply chains and an increased awareness of the importance of these areas, more people will be inspired to join the fashion revolution.
unique selling points
The business extension of the smart phone application increases awareness of the organisation and it’s aims.
The university project encourages young people to speak out on issues they feel passionate about by giving them a platform to voice these passions.
The campaign educates a broad audience about the importance of sustainability which should increase transparency of the fashion industry.