Eco-friendliness and fashion perceptual attributes of fashion brands: an analysis of consumers’ perceptions based on Twitter data

Silvia Blasi (), Lorenzo Brigato Brigato () and Silvia Rita Sedita ()
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Silvia Blasi: Department of Economics and Management, University of Padova
Lorenzo Brigato Brigato: Tria s.r.l

No 237, "Marco Fanno" Working Papers from Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno"

Abstract: This research aims at exploring if there is a convergence between the concepts of fashion and eco-friendliness in the consumer perception of a fashion brand. In particular, we assume that an increase in the eco-friendly perception will influence the brand image positively, being this impact much higher for luxury than for high and fast fashion brands. The hypotheses are tested using Twitter data. We analysed all fashion clothing brands with the highest number of followers included in the Socialbakers list and applied a novel social network mining methodology that allows measuring the relationship between each brand and two perceptual attributes (fashion and eco-friendliness). The method is based on the notion of attribute exemplars, which are Twitter accounts that exemplify the attributes. Our exemplars catalyse social media conversations on fashion (identified by the keywords fashion, glamour and style) and eco-friendliness (keywords: environment and ethical business). We computed a similarity function between the followers of the exemplars and those of the brand, based on social network analysis theory. The results suggest that there is a correlation between the fashion and the eco-friendliness perceptual attributes of a brand; this correlation, though, is far stronger for luxury brands than for high and fast fashion brands. The difference in the correlations confirms the tendency of fashion luxury firms over the last few years to consider dealing with environmental issues more and more as a core business and not just as an added value to the firm’s offer.

Keywords: Fashion brands; Twitter; consumer perception; environment; ethical business; brand image (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 26 pages
Date: 2019-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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