Changing Behaviour
Tracey kemp
Changing Behaviour Diversity: The New Black
fashion communication and promotion • N0441475
Contents introduction
5
part one one
innovation
8
part two two three four
diversity
12
in other areas
13
racial segregation
14
part three five six seven
marketing strategy
19
variety: the spice of life conclusion
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references
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appendix
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methodology 26 bibliography 28
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introduction
In the constantly changing, fast-paced and hypercompetitive fashion industry of today, market success of a brand comes from a variety of platforms. Not only must a brand be on trend, visually exciting and enticing – it must be engaging to its customer base, digitally innovative and aware. Moreover, the most critical element of a successful fashion brand in a holistic form is of course it’s marketing. This includes a range of aspects such as its branding, growth, advertising techniques and promotional strategy.
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part one
one
innovation
Furthermore, evidence from a self-initiated short study on the beliefs of a “successful” fashion brand of today, proved a consensus of opinion in some way. The micro sample of fashion students, from Nottingham Trent University, commonly first thought of Burberry for their more recent successes (Kemp, T. December 2013, Look to Appendix A). A brand notable for their exceptional digital engagement, Burberry has been successful on putting their focus on innovative product, marketing and merchandising. The cleverly crafted digital marketing strategy meant that their focus moved away from glossy print advertisement in favour of their digital investment. Thus, Burberry now ‘spends 60% of its marketing budget on digital channels, such as Facebook, which is more than three times the average investment’ (Baker, R 2011. Marketing Week, 1 September). These brave yet audacious decisions became Burberry’s further success; the luxury brand was one of the first to acknowledge and act upon the importance of social engagement with their customer in the technological age of today. They were the first luxury brand to embrace Facebook digitally, not to forget YouTube and Instagram for video. In a lecture with the Senior Vice President of Creative Media at Burberry, Greg Stogden said the shift towards digital technology and greater engagement with social platforms “felt right” for Burberry, in an era where the digital is becoming increasingly important in everyday lives. These ideologies and successes of Burberry’s digital marketing further promoted the covert reality and societal needs of today. Brands stepping outside of their comfort zones and traditions of the fashion industry with adventurous decisions that similarly may just ‘feel right’ in correlation with changes of postmodern society: this is something that the industry should recognise as creatively effective. Moreover, where Burberry discovered the societal need for digital awareness implemented through the luxury brand; where is the recognition and appliance of diverse forms of beauty emerging so frequently in society today?
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part two
two
diversity
Diversity can be seen in many ways, shapes and forms. It is something that is so commonly recognised as part of everyday life, everybody is different: which is something indefinitely unrepresented in the whitewashed, homogeneously looking fashion industry of today. There are many criticisms for this old-fashioned style of advertising and promotion, to which some brands are finally deciding to break away from the mould. Big brand names such as Calvin Klein were especially criticised for lack of diverse models; statistics from May 2013 provided evidence that the brand, as well as Juicy Couture and J Brand, hired zero models of colour for their shows (Denza, D. May 2013, Betty Confidential). This furthermore sparked outrage, an example of which fashion activist Bethann Hardison launched a campaign to end racism on the runway. In an open letter to the governing fashion bodies of the major fashion cities – New York, London, Milan and Paris – she stated, “Eyes are on an industry that season after season watches design houses consistently use one or no models of colour. No matter the intention, the result is racism”. Along with a memo of the fashion houses that had used no models of colour in their previous season runway show. It seemed from this that the designers were listening; behaviour change in terms of diversity had been forced upon them.
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Consequently, further research on the subject was performed. When looking into the shows of the New York and London designers who Hardison named in her letters. Evidence from companies such as ‘Fashionista’ shows that almost all of the brands increased the amount of the models-of-colour greatly. Examples such as Rag & Bone featured eight; Calvin Klein, Rodarte, Proenza Schouler and Narciso Rodrigex all featured six. Comparatively in London, notable designers J.W. Anderson and Schwab featured five and six. There may have been one exception across the board being Mulberry in London, which only featured one model of colour and no black models – otherwise the change was drastically positive.
IN OTHER AREAS In other areas, many other brands have also jumped at the chance for a more diverse fashion industry. From high-street brand Marks & Spencers in their autumnal advertising campaign 2013 ‘Meet Britain’s Leading Ladies’: a diverse set of individuals of different ages, ethnicities and professional backgrounds were the forefront of the campaign. To British luxury brand Burberry, who played with age diversity in the Spring/Summer 2013 advertising campaign that featured 10-year-old Romeo Beckham, son of David and Victoria Beckham – which perhaps makes the example seem somewhat dubious. Nevertheless, the campaign was light-hearted and a fun play of a younger character, alongside Burberry favourites such as Edie Campbell and Cara Delevinge. Moreover, Prada also made a big leap in 2013 with their Autumn/Winter advertising campaign that included black model of 19 years, Malaika Firth. The Italian labels choice to use the young coloured model promoted diversity across the industry; this was especially influential due to their previous lack of models-of-colour for an outstanding 19 years. The last model to hold this accolade for Prada was the then 24-year-old Naomi Campbell in 1994, the year Malaika Firth was born (Cochrane, L 2013. The Guardian). Nonetheless, some brands still shock the industry when it comes to its choices and diversification of models for their advertising campaigns or runway walks. Yves Saint Laurent for example has been renowned and even credited by models such as Naomi Campbell for their use of coloured models for the brand. Yves Saint Laurent was famous for being among the first fashion designers to work with black models and even influencing Vogue Paris to begin using black models for cover shots. He said in interviews that he found that black models gave his collections an edge that was “exhilarating” and “modern” (Sauers, J 2013. Jezebel). He also commented in the interview on how using black models “gives meaning” to his work and the whole creation (Yves Saint Laurent, 2009. Vogue Spirit). The brands muses over the years included many women of colour, including Katoucha Niane, Rebecca Ayoko and Iman. Thus, from a brand so fashion forward in terms of diversity it was a shock to the industry with YSL 2013 Ready-To-Wear runway show having zero models of colour or ethnicity varying from white. Furthermore, it also has been years since YSL had a non-white face in one of the brands seasonal advertising campaigns, whereas notable black model Jourdan Dunn has been the face of Yves Saint Laurent cosmetics since 2011. 13
RACIAL SEGREGATION These inconsistencies raise questions for the fashion industry today: is diversity seen as creatively active, or as something that is impeding it? Beverly Johnson, best known as the first black women to grace the cover of Vogue in the 1970’s, said the matter is becoming increasingly more apparent in todays supposedly equal society. She commented to the Daily Beast that there was “a trend of exclusion that is glaringly insulting and unacceptable to me”. Even through some efforts by brands, it is clear on some parts that beauty in fashion is still defined as all white. Primary research further provides evidence of this through a short analysis of a range of 14 fashion magazines, published in a ten-year time frame from 2004 to 2014. It was shown from the study that, on average, only 5.6% of models featured in the publications were of an ethnicity varying from White. (Kemp, T. 2013 Self-initiated primary research, see Appendix B). In the more recent New York Fashion Week 2013 it was also found that only 6% of models walking the shows were black, and 9.1% Asian; 13 shows featured no models of colour at all, making up a massive 82.7% white models (2013 Jezebel). There are endless amounts of evidence that advocate the fashion world of today that is indefinitely not known for its racial inclusivity – from the runway to brands advertising campaigns it is also seen that it is big brands that are consistently judged ‘guilty of the racist act’. (Hardison, B. 2013 Political campaign).
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part three
five
marketing strategy
On the contrary, a marketing strategy will be conducted in this report with the aim of changing behaviour in the fashion industry and advertising. These aims intend to diminish racial apartheid in terms of a models colour dichotomy throughout these areas. This furthermore shall diversify the industry from the stereotypical ‘norm’ of models used in advertising campaigns – providing evidence of equality rather than segregation in our postmodern era. Thus, the industry is in desperate need of change from its old-fashioned and undiversified ways. To which this approach can also take inspiration from misconceptions from previous years. A first example being Italian Vogue in 2008 and its controversial yet highly requested “Black Issue”. The disinclination of the publication to display black models on their covers further created the issue to become a ‘showcase’ of coloured models: gaining a vast amount of criticism due to its inconsistencies of coloured models in any other issue. The one-off ‘Black Issue’ became highlighted as a showcase of racism and racial segregation even more so in the fashion industry. To be nonwhite thus became relegated to a “special issue” while the regular edition remained to be determinedly white.
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Thus, the “black” issue was additionally criticised for being a very western “black-as-white” version of the race. The models that included established supermodels such as Vivien Tan, Yasmin Warsame, Rachel Vancelette, Iman, Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell were styled and airbrushed, hair coaxed into silky straightness in a typically white or European looking manner. Not a “natural or “kinky” style of a natural black girls beautifully curly hair; not a dark reflection but a highly airbrushed almost latte or Americano skintone - rather than their naturally “black” complexion. This further denotes the idea that beauty means looking or having a white skin. This is one feature of the marketing strategy for a initial brand to adopt would need to consider in its advertising. The skin tone of the models cannot be so airbrushed and made up that they do not show their naturally dark colouration. Nevertheless, in terms of ‘The Black Issue’ the inconsistency of editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue Franca Sozzani intentions were to highlight the problems in the fashion industry and to make a statement against racial discrimination - and at least it was attempted. These issues will always cause some negative attention because it is such a controversial and sensitive issue globally, yet this is how behaviour change is initiated and raises these issues to be changed. 19
Variety: The Spice of Life This marketing strategy will conversely try to incorporate models-of-colour into brands advertising and strategies without the need to highlight difference between the ranges of ethnicity used. The brand shall firstly incorporate an equal representation of multiple ethnicities, the initiative in not only in need of black models. The aim is to have a variety of ethnicities in a brands work, creating a more reliable portrayal that reflects diverse beauty across the globe. The original surge of media attention this will gain will divert it away from being a ‘norm’ of society, through the act of it being highlighted to begin with. Nonetheless this can originally promote positive attention that shall influence further brands. Thus, the key to this strategy also is consistency. ‘The Black Issue’ was deemed profoundly racist because it was a one off issue and then on after still very much white. After this strategy is carried out for some time, it will furthermore not be something worth highlighting in the media. Will this finally mean an equal and diverse societal state for fashion? Would this continue to influence brands in changing behaviour also? To the belief of Mark Earls, sociologist and author of the incredibly fascinating book ‘Herd – How to Change Mass Behaviour by Harnessing Our True Nature’ – he states the belief that humanistic creatures of habit are highly influenced by each other, and how little we are aware of it. He says how “influence lies behind so much of mass behaviour and why ‘persuasion’ is a much less useful idea” (Earls, M 2018. ‘Herd’). He references notable British writer Oscar Wilde through the quotation “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinion, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” This belief can resonate with my marketing strategy in a positive manner. Earls belief that ‘influence’ is much more important than ‘persuasion’ in terms of changing mass behaviour, therefore can result in positive results from admiration of consumers wanting a more diverse fashion industry. This would also influence further fashion brands to follow the trend also. Behavioural theories would further explain this theory as down to mirror neurons in our genetics. These neurons fire up when we observe an action performed by another. Therefore, the hoped success of this strategy would in theory “mirror” and influence other brands to follow on. 20
Additionally this marketing strategy, which originates from increasing the amount of models-of-colour in a brands work, would as a result solve problems in other areas of the industry also. Another issue raised is the practice of using a perfunctory or symbolic effect of black models in advertising and publication. Recruiting a small number of black models, or an under-represented group in order to give the appearance of racial equality in the industry. This further denotes tokenism, which is commonly seen throughout advertising campaigns, publication or on the runway where a brand adopts a models-of-colour: yet they are commonly the same few “token” models repetitively used. Models such as Naomi Campbell, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls for example are commonly chosen for a brands use of a black model, in attempt for the brand to seem racially diverse. The likes of Naomi Campbell herself said to the Guardian in September 2013 “the next time I sit at a fashion show, I hope to see a true representation of race and culture, beyond tokenism.” This in comparison to various white models constantly recruited, in correlation of the higher demand from brands in these areas. As an outcome the fashion industry is challenged upon trying to allow diversity into their catwalks and advertising, yet using the same reductionist sample of coloured models. Is this really a fair representation of our diverse society?
Henceforward, the work of this marketing strategy with the aim to constantly adopt models-of-colour for a fair representation of models-of-ethnicity to white models – this will further establish a higher demand for coloured models. Additionally, when brands are influenced into following by this example, the initial process there will then be a greater demand for coloured models to be recruited also. It isn’t hard to find just as many beautiful women from countries of the largest continents such as Asia and Africa. This of which is just something that hasn’t before been highly sought after in previous years, compared to the insistence for white models. 21
In conclusion, from initially looking into brands such as Burberry, M&S and Prada who have led the way in terms of digital technologies and diversity - this report conducted some ideologies around what makes a successful and non successful brand today. From further research it was then clear which parts of the industry needed work upon to create a more ethical, equal and diverse institution. Nevertheless, it is also very clear that brands of today have no imperative need to bring more diversity into the industry for greater successes. Brands have developed to be successful enough without equality and diversity as the forefront of their strategies. However, it was highlighted in this report the wealth of criticism and developing outrage of the old fashioned ways of the industry, that will only progress and worsen – meaning change for later years will need to be enforced sooner rather than later. Thus, changing behaviour was shown as something not easy to change, but everything is possible. The marketing strategy developed upon a variety of platforms that needs work and development in the industry, especially in relation to race and ethnicity. This further provided a strategy that in time should create a far more acceptable and acclaimed, diverse fashion industry.
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References
Baker, R.
1 September 2011, Marketing week
Campbell, N.
September 2013, The Guardian
Cochrane, L.
2013, The Guardian
Denza, D.
May 2013, Betty Confidential
Earls, M.
2009, ‘Herd - How to Change Mass Behaviour by Harnessing Our True Nature’
Hardison, B. Johnson, B. Kemp, T. Laurent, Y. Sauers, J. Stogden, G.
2013, Political campaign 9 December 2013, The Daily Beast December 2013, Primary Research Study 2009, Vogue Spirit 2013, Jezebel 26 November 2013, Burberry Lecture at Nottingham Trent University
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Appendix Appendix A Questionnaire: What brands would you say are successful in the fashion world today and why? What fashion brands do you think of for innovative behaviour and marketing? Do you think the fashion industry is becoming increasingly diverse? Explain your reasoning for your answer above. Why do you think there is a lack of models of ethnicity in the fashion industry today? Do you feel there is a need for a more accurate representative sample of ethnic models in a brands work? Do you believe there may be a tendency of tokenism of a brands use of ethnic models? Do you believe there will ever be an equal and diverse fashion industry? Â
Appendix B Magazine Analysis Publication
Year
Models of Ethnicity
White Models
Vogue Italia Petra Mode Special Vogue Paris Madame Fashion Guide Vogue Special Vogue Italia The Best Seller Elle The Runway Edit Vogue British Elle Elle Style.com Style.com Vue Berlin Bright Diaries Berlin
2004 2004
17 18
1200 218
Total Percentage of Ethnic Models 1.42% 8.26%
2004-2005 2006
3 4
723 155
0.41% 2.65%
2006 2006-2007
11 7
479 1469
2.30% 0.48%
2009
17
363
4.68%
2009 2011 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014
19 7 5 17 26 8 12
221 391 125 237 299 90 62
8.60% 1.80% 4.00% 7.17% 8.70% 8.80% 19.35%
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methodology
My initial piece of research was a questionnaire performed on a range of eleven fashion students from Nottingham Trent University. The aim of the questionnaire was to gain some insight into the thoughts and beliefs of the students on the subject of successful fashion brands of today, even though my micro sample of fashion students may be criticised for being a reductionist and unrepresentative and therefore unreliable sample of the population. The questionnaire was useful in gaining qualitative data, which was proven to be quite insightful – something quantitative data could never achieve. I used this piece of primary research to find out beliefs of what brands are doing wrong and right in the fashion industry today. The consensus of beliefs around the successes of luxury brand Burberry was shown in the report, and then further analysed to derive questions in terms of innovative behaviour in other areas of the industry.
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The second piece of primary research I conducted was to further backup my argument of the lack of diversity in publication and advertisements in the fashion industry holistically. My research involved counting the amount of models in range of fourteen fashion publications, from a ten-year time frame (2004 to 2014). I correlated the total amount of white models in each publication, next to the amount of models of ethnicity varying from white in the same one. From this research I could then calculate the percentage of non-white models in each magazine and conclusively find the average of all the data from all the magazines as a collective. This quantitative data I gained from this study allowed me to place my own statisticical data into the report, which was more valid and reliable than perhaps the secondary research used. Using this hard data in my report also allowed easier understanding for the reader in discussing a topic, such as the lack of diversity in publication. However, the variety of publications, year and nationality of the magazine used may therefore meant that the study is fairly difficult to make comparisons and correlations accurately. Although the two primary research studies I performed were on two slightly different phenomena, the mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative research in the report in theory should allow for a more valid argument. The pragmatist paradigm meant that I gained the strengths and weaknesses of both methods combined, overall gaining a more reliable outcome.
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