Purpose
The last pillar, purpose, is the base of businesses activities as it will lead the strategy businesses use to achieve their goals. Fashion businesses need to produce sustainably to have positive impact on the society without compromising the future (Londrigan and Jenkins, 2018), and this links to corporate social responsibility (CSR). According to the European Commission (2011), CSR refers to the responsibility of enterprises for their impact on society. To achieve CSR objectives, sustainability needs to be integrated at the corporate level and businesses need to set valid brand philosophy.
Brand philosophy refers to the way a brand doing things to exist and the belief of that method to build stronger connection with the customers (Forbes, 2020). Businesses need to have mission and vision statement to represent a clear brand philosophy, which is to know their achievement so far and future envisagement. Gen Z customers care about businesses’ values, they want to understand the purpose of businesses and if they have positive contribution to the society (McKinsey, 2020). ASOS launched their new ‘Fashion with Integrity’ program in 2021, the program focuses on two pillars, planet and people. Their goals by 2030 are, first, to achieve net zero carbon emissions, second, implement circular system better to extend the life cycle of garments, and third, be transparent and diverse (ASOS, 2022). By setting goals, ASOS conduct detailed strategies to help achieve the goals such as launching their first circular design collection in 2020 and becoming the first brand to include external commentary within the Modern Slavery Statement. ASOS’s CSR approach shows their concern to the environment and stakeholders which emphasis their values of being sustainable. Therefore, brand philosophy is important for businesses as it will lead the future direction to make businesses think about what can be improved by using certain strategy. Having a strong value that shows empathy to the world also helps attract potential customers, especially Gen Z.
The ways of marketing have changed with the emerging of technology, Gen Z is mostly affected as they grow up with the internet and see it as part of their life. Digital campfires heavily connect with Gen Z audiences and bring them different cultural experiences; therefore, marketers have to pay attention to them (Wilson, 2021). One way for brands to communicate with Gen Z customers is to bond emotional connection with them (McKinsey,2020). In July 2023, Nike collaborate with street brand Ambush to have a new collection. The shooting style was succubus chic which Gabbriette Bechtel, the icon of succubus chic was chosen to be the model for this collection (Nike, 2023). By collaborating with young street brand and inviting iconic influencer for shooting, Gen Z customers will be attracted which helps the brand to promote its brand philosophy.
ASOS (2022) Fashion with Interiority: Progress Update, ASOS. Available at: https://asos-12954-s3.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/files/9316/4974/2308/Fashion_With_Integrity_-_Progress_Update_-_120422.pdf (Accessed: 27 October 2023).
European Commission (2011) Communication from the Commission to the European … – european parliament. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meetdocs/2009_2014/documents/com/com_com(2011)0681_/com_com(2011)0681_en.pdf (Accessed: 25 October 2023).
Londrigan, M. and Jenkins, J.M. (2018) ‘3 Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability’, in Fashion Supply Chain Management. New York, New York: Bloomsbury Academic & Professional, pp. 41–43.
Nike (2023) The Nike x AMBUSH Collection Amplifies Sport, Style, Self-Expression, About.nike.com. Available at: https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/the-nike-x-ambush-collection-amplifies-sport-style-self-expression (Accessed: 29 October 2023).
Silva, P. (2020) Why philosophy has much to do with brand-building (and what that looks like), Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/piasilva/2020/11/19/why-philosophy-has-much-to-do-with-brand-building-and-what-that-looks-like/?sh=c997cb71f928 (Accessed: 25 October 2023).
Wilson, S. (2021) Where brands are reaching gen Z, Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2021/03/where-brands-are-reaching-gen-z (Accessed: 27 October 2023).