Executive Summary (extra 1)

Introduction
Research Background
The fashion industry in the UK has witnessed substantial changes in the past few years with the
emergence of social media platform. The growing emphasis of social media applications like
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. has led to many fashion brands utilizing these platforms to
target customers towards the products of the entity. Social media is useful for promoting the new
products of a company, connecting with target audiences, increasing brand awareness and
ultimately driving sales in the competitive business environment (Bilgin 2018). Large-scale
fashion brands such as Zara, H&M, Burberry, etc. are making adequate use of social media to
connect with customers and also create brand reputation. This transformation has led to a
significant growth of the fashion industry with the overall revenue of the sector expected to reach
up to $43.85 billion as of 2023 (Statista 2023a). The annual growth rate of the industry in the UK
is at 7.58% and the user penetration rate is expected to increase from 67.3% in 2023 to 74.8% by
2027 (Statista 2023a). These statistics highlight the need for the fashion garments industry to
increasingly innovate and utilize social media tools to connect with consumers and gain a
strategic edge over its rivals in the market. The organisations in the fashion industry also provide
information regarding its products and services by launching numerous marketing campaigns
over the social media platform. For example, luxury fashion brand Zara launched its FW22
campaign on YouTube to attract customers towards new apparels launched by the entity. The
campaign was launched using a creative storytelling strategy which allowed the company to
connect with its target customers effectively (YouTube 2022). Apart from attracting and
connecting with customers, the social media platform further allows the organisations in the
fashion industry to integrate e-commerce features and make purchases directly from the
platforms. The shift has blurred lines between social media promotion and sales conversion
indicating the impact of marketing campaigns over the digital platform on overall sales of the
firm. The fashion brands in the UK further make utilisation of social media analytics to measure
the effectiveness of their respective organisations. Data such as market analytics, engagement
metrics, website traffic analysis, return on investments (ROI) are used to determine the growth
prospects of an organisation in the market. The statistics allow the brands to analyse market
needs and delegate the information to the research and development team to innovate
accordingly. However, there are certain challenges that the organisations face while engaging in
social media promotion such as risk of cybersecurity, lack of standardised measurement practices
and discrepancies in data penetration. All these factors need to be considered in order to measure
the effectiveness of social media marketing campaigns by organisations within the industry to
ensure their overall growth and sustainability.

Research Problem
The primary research problem in this study is the need for organisations to develop a reliable and
comprehensive framework for measuring the efficiency of social media marketing strategy for
the firms in the fashion industry of the UK. Large-scale firms within the industry such as H&M,
Marks & Spencer, Burberry, etc. have already established a strong customer base and only
compete with each other in order to attain strategic edge over rivals. However, the medium and
small-scale entities within the industry face challenges in adopting a suitable social media
marketing campaign. Lack of standardisation metrics and multi-channel complexity are issues
that firms in the industry need to deal with while competing with other entities. Moreover,
consumer behaviour within the fashion industry is constantly influenced by trends, algorithms
and evolving factors (Xiang 2021). In case the firms fail to cater to the needs of consumers,
increasing social media promotion would only lead to losses for the company. It is also difficult
for the organisations in the industry of the UK to measure direct impact of social media
marketing on the sales margins of the company. Therefore, a suitable research work considering
the importance of content consumption for consumers and effective utilisation of social media
would be integral for the firms in the industry to promote its offerings to the customers.

Research Gap
According to Robinson, et al. (2013), a research gap refers to the missing or insufficient area in a
research paper that affects the ability of a researcher to reach a satisfactory conclusion. The
research gap of this paper is it only focuses on large and medium-scale entities in the fashion
industry of the UK to conduct the analysis. It is difficult for the researcher to collect secondary
data regarding social media marketing strategy of small-scale firms in the industry and hence, the
viewpoint of social media marketing managers of those firms is not considered for the paper.
Moreover, the social media trends are constantly evolving in the modern business environment.
However, the recent trends are only considered for the analysis of the paper. The researcher has
further refrained from considering consumer behaviour patterns by conducting primary analysis
and rather relied extensively on previous information conducted on the topic for completing the
research work. However, even with the presence of numerous research gaps, the researcher has
tried to complete quality research work and ensured that future researchers can utilise the piece
of work for understanding the manner in which social media has transformed the marketing
tactics of firms in the UK fashion industry.

Aims and Objectives

Research Aim

The main aim of the research paper is to analyse the effectiveness of social media campaigns for
the fashion industry of the UK.

Research Questions

 How has social media marketing emerged within the fashion industry of the UK?
 How has social media changed the mode of interaction between customers and
organisations in the modern industry?
 What are the benefits of social media marketing for the fashion organisations of the UK?
 What challenges are encountered by the fashion organisations of the UK while engaging
in social media marketing?

Research Objectives

 To analyse the manner in which social media marketing has emerged within the fashion
industry of the UK.
 To evaluate the manner in which social media has changed the interaction process
between customers and organisations and how is it different from the traditional
marketing processes.
 To identify the benefits of social media marketing for the fashion industry of the UK?
 To identify the challenges faced by fashion organisations in the UK since adopting social
media marketing strategy.
Rationale
Social media marketing campaigns are effective in promoting products and services, optimising
marketing measures and enhancing brand engagement among customers (Holt 2016). While
social media platforms are used extensively by organisations in the fashion industry of the UK to
target and attract customers, there is a need for understanding consumer behaviour and develop a
data-driven approach to measure the significance of the campaigns. The information findings
generated from this research work would allow the industry heads to identify the challenges
facing entities in social media marketing strategy and develop suitable solutions. Henceforth, the
research work would allow the marketing managers of firms in the fashion industry of the UK to
take informed decisions and leverage the power of social media in the competitive marketplace.

Significance
The research work is significant in understanding the effectiveness of social media marketing for
the fashion industry of the UK. The findings of the paper would allow marketing managers in the
industry to make informed decisions regarding their social media marketing tactics. Moreover,
understanding theories related to consumer behaviour aspects would allow industry heads to
engage more effectively with consumers. The research paper would further provide data
regarding the budget optimisation of social media campaigns and the strategies that can be used
by firms to reduce their overall operational costs. Overall, the research work would be useful in
identifying the best practices for UK fashion organisations while engaging in social media
marketing in the future.

Literature Review
Emergence of Social Media Marketing in the Fashion Industry of the UK
The emergence of social media has transformed the global fashion industry offering numerous
opportunities for customers to connect with audiences and drive their sales margins. The
increasing emphasis on social media in the UK has motivated the fashion industry to utilise
marketing tactics and overcome challenges ultimately leading to the progress of the firms. As per
the reports of Statista (2023b), there are more than 57.1 million active users of social media in
the UK. This provides an opportunity for the fashion industry to target and attract a large
customer base within a short time. Social media marketing further attained adequate popularity
in the UK as it allows organisations to delegate emphasis on brand engagement and awareness
(LinkedIn 2023). The marketing of products and services over the digital platform allowed
organisations to experience higher brand recalls and customer engagement. The customers are
able to distinguish between the apparel manufactured by different entities and it creates an
impact on their decision-making aspects. Moreover, since a large segment of the population of
the UK utilise social media on a daily basis, it is more suitable for organisations to connect with
consumers on a regular basis with new product launches, offers, discounts, etc. increasing the
sales prospects of the firms. Moreover, various fashion garments integrated e-commerce features
on social media platforms encouraging customers to buy products directly from the website
(Steinhoff, et al. 2019). This omni-channel marketing approach further led to an increase in sales
conversion rates as it provided flexibility to consumers to select and attain products of their
choice. This strategy to integrate e-commerce with social media marketing was mostly beneficial
for the emerging companies in the fashion industry of the UK as it allowed the firms to gain
recognition and build brand loyalty within a short period and catering to fewer costs. The rise of
social media marketing campaigns in the UK was further facilitated by influencer marketing. As
opined by Ormos (2023), influencer marketing is a collaboration between popular social media
users and brands to promote the products of an entity. Influencer marketing allowed fashion
organisations within the UK to reach a significant customer base. The celebrities and influencers
promoting products create brand recognition and new avenues for the companies ultimately
resulting in their increased exposure. A large number of companies in the UK like BoohooMan,
Calvin Klein, French Connection, etc. made adequate use of influencer marketing to drive sales
margins of the brand and create potential customers (Statista 2023c). The emphasis on social
media marketing campaigns further allowed the fashion industry of the UK to focus on
customisation and consumer-generated products. Social platforms allow the organisations to
constantly communicate with potential consumers and evaluate their choices and preferences.
Once the data is attained, the organisations can manufacture and market products as per the
market needs and ultimately increase their sales potential. Furthermore, many customers provide
reviews, unboxing videos and user-generated content on social media sites ultimately creating a
positive reputation for the organisation (Duke 2023). Since social media exposure is expected to
rise even in the future, therefore, the organisations in the fashion industry need to innovate and
make adequate utilisation of the platforms even in the future to drive sales.
Theoretical Analysis
Social Marketing Theory

French and Gordon (2019) were of the opinion that social marketing theory indicates the manner
in which socially valuable information can be promoted within society. Social marketing focuses
on influencing the behaviour of people through aspects that are socially desirable and addresses
issues of society. Social marketing is done through a number of strategies, which are advertising,
communication with customers, evaluating market analytics, etc. the theory states that initially,
every organisation needs to understand the target audience. An evaluation of the social media
profiles of potential customers allows the organisations to attain information regarding the
audience, their likes, interests, etc. Secondly, the promotional strategies of organisations force a
change in the behaviour of the potential customers. For example, using attractive visuals and
influencer marketing to promote a product or service would create impulse buying behaviour
among consumers. Social media marketing further manipulates the buying behaviour of the
consumers in the market (Tuten & Solomon 2017). For example, in the case of the fashion
industry of the UK, in case an individual is not interested to buy a product or service, the
constant promotion of the same item over social media platforms might drive the buying
behaviour of the customer. Henceforth, social media marketing is considered an integral part of
the marketing mix of every organisation in the modern marketplace.

Social Cognitive Theory

Beauchamp, Crawford and Jackson (2019) were of the opinion that social cognitive theory is a
framework that indicates the manner in which individuals develop and learn behaviours by
imitating other people within a social environment. This theory can be utilised effectively by
small and medium-scale fashion brands as these entities replicate strategies adopted by large-
scale companies in the market. Social cognitive theory is useful in addressing factors like ethical
concerns, sustainability and promoting responsible behaviour through adequate observational
learning.

Working towards Organisational Sustainability- Large-scale fashion brands are delegating

adequate emphasis towards environmental sustainability by adopting eco-friendly business
processes (YouGov 2020). Observational learning allows various firms in the fashion industry of
the UK to identify the strategies and promote the sustainability strategies used by the firms over
social media sites.

Promoting Responsible Behaviour- The adoption of social cognitive theory encourages

responsible behaviour among organisations. The firms within the fashion industry of the UK are
wary of the fact that customers can provide negative reviews on social media sites and it could
affect the overall reputation of the brand. Therefore, educating the employees, launching targeted
campaigns and effective disposal of products to reduce the effects of fast fashion are integral for
organisations to ensure their sustainability.

Increasing Emphasis on Diversity and Social Norms- The adoption of social cognitive theory
allows organisations to delegate adequate emphasis on diversity. This is integral for firms in the
fashion industry as customers intend on choosing from a wide array of products. Customers
prefer the social media and e-commerce platforms over physical buying as they can choose from
a variety of products and hence, diversity and inclusion are integral for organisations trying to
opt for social media marketing. A form of social norms involves tackling body image issues to
promote positive societal change. Many fashion brands are promoting body-positive messages
and promoting self-acceptance over social media platforms to drive customer loyalty and
increase their reputation. For example, Calvin Klein is using plus-size models to reinvent its
brand and promote body positivity over various digital platforms (Krentcil 2019).

Theory of Reasoned Action

Paul, Modi and Patel (2016) were of the opinion that theory of reasoned action explains human
behaviour based on attitudes and norms. The marketing campaigns organised over social media
platforms drive the attitude of customers towards the specific products. For example, an increase
in discounts on a product might drive the buying behaviour of customers. Secondly, in the case
of norms, once the customers are satisfied with the products, it motivates repeated buying
ultimately contributing to consumer loyalty.

Transformation of Social-Media from Traditional Media for Marketing

The increasing availability of digital technologies has motivated fashion organisations in the UK
to focus on social media marketing rather than traditional forms of marketing for attracting
customers. Prior to the 2000s, the fashion industry of the UK largely was dependent on
traditional media sources for promoting its products through newspaper advertisements,
magazines, hoardings, etc. (Eagle, et al. 2023). Moreover, the organisations used to put up
posters regarding new arrivals, discounts, etc. However, the introduction of social applications in
the early 2000s like LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, etc. transformed the marketing activities of
the organisations. The visual nature of social media applications allowed the fashion brands to
promote their products in an interactive manner to customers (McCarthy 2013). The fashion
brands could share videos, conduct fashion shows and create brand awareness among large-scale
customers in the market. The increasing emphasis on social media and its availability to multiple
consumers allowed the firms in the fashion industry to communicate and interact with customers,
identify their needs and provide authentic products as per their needs. The fashion industry of the
UK further identified the opportunity to integrate e-commerce with the social platform during
2013-2015 and hence, it was an effective strategy in driving consumer interests towards the
offerings of the entity. The emergence of the COVID-19 virus in 2020 further worked as a boon
for fashion organisations promoting its products over social media (McIntosh 2020). A situation
of lockdown motivated the people of the UK to rely largely on e-commerce and social media
sites to meet their fashion and apparel requirements. Therefore, the organisations started
innovating by using advanced technologies like augmented reality, storytelling promotion, visual
representation of products, etc. to drive the consumer interests and loyalty. Furthermore, using
influencer marketing and fashion bloggers on platforms like Instagram contributed to the
reliability and ability of the firms to gain the trust of the customers. All these strategies have
replaced traditional media advertising and the firms within the fashion industry of the UK are
largely relying on digital and social media for promoting its products to the customers.

Benefits of Social Media Promotion for the Fashion Industry in the UK

The influence of social media platforms has transformed the fashion industry all over the globe.
The UK fashion organisations utilise social media sites to gain information relating to each
customer, their preferences, etc. and provide personalised recommendations to the individuals.
Moreover, social media promotion leads to the development of electronic word-of-mouth
promotion (eWOM). eWOM leads to loyal customers of a brand promoting its products to their
friends, relatives, other connections, etc. over social websites like Facebook, WhatsApp,
Instagram, etc. by sending pictures and videos of the items. Therefore, the organisations try to
satisfy the personalised needs of each customer as it allows them to attract other individuals in
the market through eWOM strategy (Zhou, et al. 2021). eWOM is a cost-effective promotional
strategy and the increasing influence of social media platforms has aided its emphasis in the
modern market. Moreover, one important aspect of social media marketing used by fashion
apparel-selling entities is the use of hashtags. Hashtag campaigns work as an effective tool for
customers to increase brand awareness and drive sales margins (Potnis & Tahamtan 2021). Most
of the firms in the fashion industry of the UK use hashtags like #ootd, #fashion, etc. to promote
its products in the market. Hashtags help organisations to increase their overall reach and also
motivate a community of people towards selecting the offerings of a firm. Hashtags are also used
for promoting the sustainability features of apparel to the customers. Consumers can search
hashtags and get redirected to the promotional advertisements of the organisations. Henceforth,
this strategy has allowed organisations to reach a large-scale customer base easily and by
spending fewer costs. Social media promotion further allows fashion organisations to attract
customer loyalty by providing user-generated content. The companies engage with customers by
analysing their likes, comments, messages, etc. on the posts of the products and promote similar
items to the customers to drive their interest. Moreover, since the customers can interact directly
with organisations over social media platforms, they can provide feedback regarding the brands
and their products and ultimately drive the overall sales margins of a company (Cotriss 2023).
Promotion over social media further allow the fashion organisations of the UK to conduct real-
time monitoring of data regarding sales, engagement patterns, trends, etc. and hence, the
organisations can anticipate demand in the market. This leads to the innovation of apparel that is
expected to meet consumer requirements and hence, avoid losses for the firm. Social media
promotion is further cost-effective and allows organisations to reach a large-scale customer base
(Bala & Verma 2018). The visual aspect associated with the promotional strategy encourages
organisations to engage in storytelling and generate brand identity. Finally, various benefits of
social media promotion like influencer marketing, e-commerce integration, blogging, etc. allows
organisations in the fashion industry to gain recognition and brand awareness ultimately leading
to their success in the competitive industry.

Challenges of Social Media Campaigns Faced by the Fashion Industry in the UK

Social media promotion has transformed the marketing landscape of all industries across the
globe. However, there are certain challenges associated with social media marketing campaigns
that need to be considered by the fashion industry of the UK. The primary issue with social
media promotion is problems associated with cybersecurity. There are possibilities of many
social sites of fashion entities being hacked leading to third-party sources accessing confidential
data of the companies. Cybersecurity issues further affect the trust and loyalty of customers in
organisations and they are reluctant to offer personalised data to the organisations ultimately
resulting in a lack of ability of the firms to target potential consumers. For example, the personal
and financial information of more than 10 million customers of JD Sports was hacked in a cyber-
attack in 2023 ultimately resulting in loss of customer trust and a decline in the revenue
prospects of the firms (Sweney 2023). Another challenge facing the fashion entities opting for
social media promotion is platform selection and audiences. Different social platforms cater to
diverse interests and hence, brands need to segment their content accordingly (Williams, et al.
2012). Since trends in the social media industry are fast-paced, there are possibilities that
organisations will face challenges in keeping pace with a trend ultimately resulting in an increase
in operational costs for the firms. Many organisations in the fashion industry collaborate with
third-party sellers for their logistics services. Any discrepancy in service or packaging might
result in customers providing negative feedback regarding the company and its offerings on the
social platform. Such a situation would result in degradation of the reputation of the organisation
due to negative feedback. The organisations in the fashion industry of the UK need to manage
collaboration with influencers and also analyse their background. The firms need to measure the
return on investments of influencer partnerships. Also, background verification and supervision
of influencers and other celebrities associated with the firm is necessary as any criticism
associated with the individual in the future would ultimately affect the revenue generation
prospects of the organisation as a whole. The social media platforms constantly update changes
in their algorithms affecting the organic reach and visibility of different brands (Duffy, et al.
2021). Therefore, fashion entities relying solely on organic reach might not be able to create a
large-scale customer base within a short period. The final challenge that needs to be considered
by the organisations in the fashion industry of the UK is regulations related to privacy and data
protection (Wynn 2023). Any discrepancy or unethical action conducted over the social platform
would not only result in degradation of the reputation of the entity, but can also result in lawsuits
for the firms. All these factors need to be considered by organisations within the fashion industry
of the UK prior to increasing their presence over the social platform and trying to attract
customers extensively.
Research Methods
Overview
The prime motive of this chapter is to determine the actual research context and collect different
types of data supporting the same through applying several approaches and techniques. There is a
wide array of research areas based on literature, languages, sociology and history which are
performed through experiments, case study analysis, observation, reasoning and comparison
(Rajasekar and Verma, 2013). This particular research analysis has been conducted with the
application of the research onion framework (Figure 1). It comprises several layers highlighting
different methodological paradigms expected to be adopted for achieving the desired study
objectives.

Figure 1: Research Onion

Source: Melnikovas (2018)

This particular chapter has been divided into certain significant subsections based on the layers
of the research onion in order to focus upon the way social media marketing campaigns pose
opportunities for British fashion retailers to attracting more customers in the market in
comparison to the traditional marketing process.

Research Philosophy
The research philosophies, also called the epistemological approaches, signify the diverse
perspectives on human knowledge collected through reflecting upon the perceptions, attitudes
and experiences of the individuals. The fundamental motive behind choosing research
philosophies is to irradiate the continuously changing surrounding environment and the
behaviours of individuals in a critical manner. As per the research onion (figure 1), there are four
different types of research philosophies namely positivism, interpretivism, realism and
pragmatism philosophies. In this particular research, the aim is to measure the effectiveness of
social media marketing campaigns in the UK fashion industry which would require identification
of the interactions between customers and organisations as well as the benefits yielded by the
latter through social media marketing. As such, interpretivism philosophy has been considered to
be relevant for exploring a diverse range of underlying perspectives regarding the concerned
research topic (Alharahsheh and Pius, 2020). It acknowledges the socially constructed subjective
reality based on human experiences and viewpoints. Through the incorporation of the
interpretivism philosophy, the contemporary approaches and changes in trends in the fashion
industry have been identified with regard to the increasing social media marketing initiatives and
consumer behaviours in a subjective manner. This philosophy helped in reducing the risk of
information bias by focusing more upon different perspectives related to the impact of social
media campaigns on customisation and creation of customer-based products by fashion
companies.

Research approach
Research approaches are said to be the appropriate measure for conducting the study as the entire
research is based on the interpreted information derived through continuous observations and
studies in the market structure. These are precisely dispersed into two distinctive categories
namely inductive approach and deductive approach which shape up the overall research
procedure. The inductive approach deals with identifying relevant patterns in a particular dataset
collected through various sources, which directs towards understanding significant concepts and
reaching effective conclusions (Hair Jr, et al. 2019). On the other hand, the deductive approach is
concerned with analysing existing theories and intended hypotheses prior to data collection and
analysis (Hair Jr, et al. 2019). While the inductive approach helps in analysing certain specific
subjects with respect to answering the research questions in an in-depth manner; the deductive
approach is used to test the pre-established hypotheses and theories related to a study. In this
research, the inductive approach has been chosen to contemplate the essence of the research and
seek authentic results regarding the benefits of social media marketing campaigns for the UK
fashion companies. The notable advantage of adopting this approach is to develop new
knowledge and provide insights pertinent to the research topic by analysing several underlying
factors (Armat, et al. 2018). Since this study was deemed to explore the effectiveness of social
media platforms in facilitating considerable changes in the fashion industry of the country, the
inductive approach has incorporated a massive range of diverse perspectives and viewpoints of
the society accessed from the existing or published data sources. Comprehensively, a detailed
overview of the current changes and latest trends in the fashion market could be obtained by
exploring the influence of the social media marketing technique.

Methodological choices
It is crucial to make careful and concentrated methodological choices for ensuring the successful
execution of a research study. In this specific study, the mono method was adopted for achieving
the aim and objectives effectively. A qualitative method has been taken into consideration which
sheds light upon how social media marketing campaigns influence fashion companies was made
that create a positive impression among British consumers. A comprehensive search for reliable
and trustworthy information about the changing dynamics and trends of the UK fashion sector
has been made to measure the effects of social media marketing campaigns on companies and
consumers (Palinkas, et al. 2015). Moreover, this strategy has provided valuable insights into
consumer behaviours that are influenced by the strategic implementation of social media
platforms for the marketing activities of the companies.

Research Strategy
Research strategy is the direction or pathway in which a study can be executed in a disciplined
and systematic manner. In this study, new knowledge and patterns defining the widespread use of
social media marketing campaigns in revolutionising the fashion industry of Britain have been
uncovered. The actions and strategies of the consumers and the companies respectively have
been emphasised to meet the decided research objectives and research questions. Therefore,
grounded theory has been adopted as the research strategy which assisted in conceptualising the
social patterns and consumers’ perceptions towards the marketing campaigns conducted by the
British fashion retailers on social media platforms. The selection of grounded theory has helped
in collecting reliable data on the research area of interest. This strategy refers to the inductive
methods that attempt to unravel the social interactions and develop concepts to bring out
satisfactory outcomes (Ramalho, et al. 2015). In context to this study, the grounded theory
strategy accompanied by the inductive approach has focused upon descriptively analysing how
social media marketing has changed the mode of interaction between customers and the UK
fashion retailers in recent times.

Data collection
The research has incorporated secondary data for achieving the intended study objectives.
Relevant data has been collected from various open sources that are related to social media
marketing campaigns and the fashion industry. Through the secondary data collection method,
the study has considered a broad range of previous literature sources, relevant books, journals,
newspapers and online domains. It is a much more economical and less time-consuming process,
unlike primary data collection which requires more time to select participants and conduct
interviews or surveys with them. The secondary data has helped in bridging the underlying gaps
and deficiencies of the research in an efficient way. The overall process is cost-effective and
allows to access a large array of structured data within a short amount of time.

Sampling method
Since the research is focused upon collecting secondary data from previously published sources,
the articles have been selected from the open database of Google Scholar in order to access
authentic information for the study. The selection of the articles has been done through adopting
the purposive sampling technique that ensured the recent developments related to the subject
matter of this research (Palinkas, et al. 2015). The purpose of adopting purposive sampling is to
mainly focus upon the most appropriate and relevant information and thus, minimisation of data
has been considered for increasing the overall accuracy of the research (Bell et al., 2022).
Moreover, the titles as well as the abstracts of the chosen articles and journals have been
considered effective for the study.

Data analysis
The collected data has been analysed and evaluated through the thematic analysis method. Since
secondary qualitative data has been gathered, thematic analysis has helped in focusing on
specific areas related to the UK fashion sector and how social media marketing campaigns have
been increasing the efficacy and competitiveness of the companies. A detailed and scrupulous
examination of the secondary sources has been conducted to draw evidence on the social media
practices and technological advancements that shape the contemporary fashion market. The
themes have been developed based on Boolean logic in order to distinctively identify potential
areas relevant to the research objectives and problems. Moreover, the choice of interpretivism
philosophy and inductive approach has contributed to obtaining quality subjective interpretations
for a standard qualitative data analysis. As such, highly authentic and effective areas of
secondary data have been considered for facilitating the thematic data analysis.

Research ethics
It is important to follow ethical guidelines for carrying out a successful research analysis.
Compliance with the ethical issues helped in collecting trustworthy data from the effective
secondary data sources thereby ensuring accountability and veracity of the findings. The study
was undertaken only to serve the research objectives and did not seek any commercial benefit.
The lack of primary data has made it more crucial to adopt all ethical measures and maintain
academic codes and conduct during data collection and analysis. An ethics form has been signed
prior to accessing the Google Scholar database and accumulating data from books, articles and
journals. The authors or researchers of each selected article or web source were given
acknowledgement by following appropriate referencing systems in this research work
(Ngozwana, 2018). Besides, academic integrity and confidentiality were thoroughly maintained
by storing the collected data through password-protected online cloud system, such as Onedrive
and Google Drive. This enhanced the overall reliability and validity of the outcomes.

Limitations
This research has solely relied upon secondary data which restricted access to the in-depth
overview of the experiences and opinions of the individuals associated with the UK fashion
sector. Since the concerned topic is about measuring the social media marketing effectiveness in
enhancing market prospects of apparel companies in engaging more customers, collecting
primary data from the retailers would have been beneficial for this study. However, there were
considerable constraints in terms of time, resource and budget allocation that caused challenges
in conducting interviews or surveys for gathering primary data. Further, physical travelling in the
post-pandemic period was hindered which restricted the primary data collection required for this
research.

Analysis and Interpretation of Research Results

This is one of the most significant and pivotal chapters in the entire research process as it
presents the evaluations and findings made from the secondary data gathered from relevant
sources. Due to the application of the interpretivism philosophy and inductive approach, various
specific concepts and aspects could be identified and examined through a qualitative research
method. These concepts and aspects have been converted into important themes that assisted in
delivering substantial information regarding the growing use of social media platforms in
conducting effective marketing campaigns for the fashion companies of the UK. As a matter of
fact, themes have been developed by reviewing the literature review and different other
secondary sources which have been distinctively analysed in this chapter below. In addition,
relevant examples from various fashion brands in the UK are provided to describe the themes
and conduct an empirical analysis. Finally, recommendations are derived from certain issues or
challenges identified in the results and discussion section.

Effectiveness of social media marketing campaigns

Social media marketing has gained huge predominance in the recent times. According to Tiago
and Veríssimo (2014), online social networks have paved the way for human interactions and
facilitated businesses to reach and engage maximum potential customers in the market. Further,
Pradiptarini (2011) stated that social media promotion has enhanced customer interactions to a
personal level considerably compared to the traditional media channels thereby facilitating closer
customer relationships. As a result, it is apparent that the fashion brands are also benefited from
the use of social media platforms for increasing their marketing efficiency. This has been
explained in the literature review section by drawing reference from McCarthy (2013) who
claimed that the social media applications have opened new dimensions for the fashion brands to
interact with the customers and promote their products. Being a cost-effective mode of
advertising and promotion, the social media marketing offers flexibility to the customers such
that they can choose their desired products thus gaining their loyalty to a great extent. As
indicated in the literature review, social marketing is concerned with widespread advertising and
communication with the customers along with evaluating market analytics which manipulates
their buying behaviours (Tuten and Solomon, 2017). Through the inclusion of the social media
platforms, the organisations are able to conduct advertising campaigns and acquire a large range
of information regarding the likes and dislikes of the target customers which allows them to
modify their market offerings. As a result, the UK apparel brands have been engaged in
customisation and manufacturing customer-generated products according to the consumer
preferences. Moreover, the study of Duke (2023) explained how the companies are allowing the
customers to give their valuable feedback, reviews on product experiences, etc. on social media
sites in order to boost brand awareness and maximise their sales potential. In this context,
Raudeliūnienė, et al. (2018) identified eight different factors such as sales volume, content reach,
website traffic, impressions, relevance score, user visit frequency, leads and audience growth
which play a crucial role in measuring the effectiveness of the social media platforms in driving
positive brand reputation. Therefore, it is pertinent that these factors need to be taken into
consideration by the UK fashion retailers in order to reach their target audiences through
appropriate advertising campaigns and initiatives and attain a more loyal customer base in the
market.

Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing has been chosen as one of the notable themes in this study since the huge
proliferation of the online social networks gave rise to different well-known influencers or
bloggers having greater numbers of followers who tend to manipulate the consumers’ buying
decisions through their social media posts and contents (Yesiloglu and Costello, 2020). This
implies that the social media platforms establish an interrelation between prominent brands and
the celebrity influencers. In context of fashion industry of UK, a similar aspect has been
discussed in the literature review with respect to the findings of Ormos (2023) which state that
influencer marketing fosters collaboration between the renowned apparel brands and the popular
social media users thereby facilitating promotion. For example, H&M collaborates with famous
social media influencers and celebrities to promote its products and new launches widely before
the targeted customers. In 2021, the company extended its hands to form new partnership with
‘Game of Thrones’ actress Maisie Williams for promoting H&M’s sustainable apparel collection.
This global partnership initiative has allowed the brand to proceed towards closing the loop in
fashion thereby facilitating a more sustainable fashion future (H&M 2021). Maisie Williams is
considered as the epitome of voicing for women empowerment, diversity and sustainability
(H&M 2021). In the words of Bakker (2018), the fame and widespread presence of the
influencers on social media platforms increase the visibility of the brands they endorse. As such,
the prime agenda for H&M was to utilise the fame and popularity of the actress in inspiring and
educating the customers about clothes resulting in landfill and high-level waste generation.
Throughout 2021, she has been a part of several H&M projects and campaigns that focused upon
innovation and circularity in its products. It launched its first-ever virtual fashion collection and
joined a virtual fashion specialist Dress-X to design its sustainable digital apparel collection
featured by Maisie Williams (May, 2021). Such initiatives have led H&M to reduce carbon
footprint and gain huge brand recognition and success across the UK fashion industry. Hence, it
can be said that influencer marketing is a vital social media marketing technique that enhances
the market visibility of the companies.

Social media marketing has gained huge predominance in the recent times. According to
Pradiptarini (2011), the online social networks have paved the way for human interactions and
facilitated the businesses to reach and engage maximum potential customers in the market. As a
result, it is apparent that the fashion brands are also benefited from the This has been explained
in the literature review section by drawing reference from McCarthy (2013) who claimed that the
social media applications

Influencer marketing

Word-of-Mouth Promotion through Social Media Marketing

The literature analysis of the paper indicates that social media marketing campaigns have aided
word-of-mouth promotion in the fashion industry of the UK. The rise of social media platforms
like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc. has allowed people to constantly interact with each
other and even with brands. Many fashion brands in the UK and across the world target the
customers through user-generated content and try to drive their loyalty (Vazquez, et al. 2021).
Once customers are satisfied with the offerings of a company, they refer it to their friends and
relatives. This type of promotional strategy is cost-effective and helps an organisation in driving
maximum customer interest. Moreover, the customers provide positive reviews relating to a
company in social media sites that can be viewed by others. Many fashion brands also provide
offers and discounts to customers in case they refer the company to their personal connections.
All these strategies aid the fashion brands of the UK to create brand awareness, engage with
customers and ultimately generate revenues.

Nike, one of the leading sportswear brands of the globe, attracted customers effectively with its
“Just Do It” campaign (Willigan 1992). The company promoted the message using a range of
influencers and celebrities over social media sites ultimately driving customer interest.
Moreover, many loyal consumers of the brand further promoted the marketing messages of the
brand to their friends and relatives ultimately resulting in the “Just Do It” campaign attaining
success.

Use of Hashtags
One of the major contributions of social media marketing is using hashtags to promote the
products and services of a firm. Hashtag marketing allows organisations to increase their reach
and ultimately attain brand recognition (Stathopoulou, et al. 2017). The potential customers
search using specific hashtags like #ootd, #fashion, #dress, etc. and are directly redirected to the
social media pages of the company. The use of hashtags has emerged only with the introduction
of social media marketing platforms. The use of hashtags allows organisations to build
communities, attract target audiences and create a viral marketing campaign ultimately drawing
adequate customer interest. Moreover, hashtag marketing is considered as a powerful tool for
delivering brand messages, encouraging customer participation and ultimately enhancing the
awareness of the brand. Hashtag marketing is so useful for the firms that almost all entities in the
modern marketplace are making its utilisation for driving customer interest. For example, ASOS
utilised hashtag marketing by introducing #AsSeenOnMe campaign where the company
motivated the fashion enthusiasts to display their ASOS products by wearing them and inspire
others to purchase similar products (Webb 2023). This type of marketing strategy was beneficial
for the organisation and allowed it to reach a large-scale customer base ultimately attaining
success in the competitive market. Another example is fashion brand, Boohoo used
#BoohooBabes to promote its brand as it encourages flow of user-generated content to women.
The company promoted the hashtags on the Instagram pages of the company and drove customer
attraction towards the brand. The hashtag strategy further allowed the company to understand its
target audiences based on data analytics and customer response (Digital Vingil 2023). Moreover,
fashion brands like Burberry, H&M, Zara, etc. use hashtags regularly when they launch new
products or provide offers on its existing products to drive market demand. In addition, the
organisations in the fashion industry of UK further encourage influencers to use hashtag
marketing techniques. Although social media influencers have adequate customer reach, hashtag
marketing allows the individuals to reach potential consumer base and ultimately draw demand
for products within a short span of time.
Customer Loyalty Strategies
Social media marketing has played a major role in fashion brands attracting the loyalty of
customers in the competitive market. In case of traditional marketing, the customers used to
constantly shift from one brand to another in order to attain products of their favourite designs,
style, etc. The low switching costs between fashion brands further allowed customers to make
the shift (Karunaratna 2015). However, such a strategy ultimately affected customer loyalty for a
single organisation ultimately leading to losses. However, since the introduction of social media
marketing, the organisations have delegated adequate emphasis on customisation and user-
generated products. For example, firms like Zara provide customisation options to customers on
fashion-related products (Morgan 2020). The customers can customise designs, prints, etc. of
apparels along with the quantity to be attained by the individuals. This leads to loyalty of
customers towards a specific brand. Moreover, social media promotion allows organisations to
constantly engage with customers (Forbes 2020). The organisations provide information
regarding discounts and offers on specific products on social media sites. The consumers of a
brand do not browse through company websites on a regular basis, but they do use social media
sites regularly and hence, are able to interact with the brands on a regular basis. This ultimately
creates brand loyalty of the customers towards specific firms and they intend on buying products
even when they might not require them. Therefore, the companies target the impulse buying
behaviour of the consumers and attain an increase in their sales margins (Zhou & Gu 2015). The
fashion brands of the UK further delegate adequate information regarding the product, company
information, corporate governance aspects of the firm, etc. in social media sites indicating the
authenticity and reliability of the products. This strategy is essential for small and medium-scale
brands trying to attract customer recognition as it helps the firms to gain consumer trust in the
market. User-generated advertisements over social media platforms provide a social proof of the
company and leads to a psychological phenomenon where people rely on actions to make
decisions. For example, in case customers see people expressing positive experiences wearing
products of a particular brand, it automatically drives the loyalty and interests of the consumers
towards the specific organisation. Therefore, the firms are able to gain customer loyalty and
recognition since engaging in social media marketing.
Innovation in Social Media Marketing Campaign
One of the main reasons due to which social media marketing has created a revolution in the
modern market is due to the emergence of new technology. As the digital landscape evolved
globally, the fashion brands in the UK and rest of the world started embracing new technologies,
creative strategies and content to engage with customers and attract them towards the offerings
of the firm. Few innovative elements used by fashion brands in the UK to engage in social media
marketing are:

Augmented Reality- Augmented reality technology allows customers to virtually try numerous
fashion products. This strategy allowed the company to attract customers effectively and provide
a unique experience to the individuals. Brands like ASOS and Topshop have introduced try-on
filters on various social platforms like Snapchat and Instagram allowing customers to virtually
try the clothes and share their experiences ultimately drawing attention of their followers.

Interactive Content and Polls- Interactive content and polls over social media platforms allow
consumers to interact with brands (Forbes 2022). This strategy also allows the fashion brands of
UK to attain information relating to customer choices and interests. Many fashion companies of
UK like River Island and Pretty Little Thing run polls, quizzes, surveys, etc. on their social
media pages to gain information regarding the choices and preferences of consumers. The nature
of the marketing campaigns further allows the customers to get involved with a brand and
ultimately fosters brand loyalty. For example, while answering polls, there is a high possibility
that a potential consumer likes a specific dress and then intends on buying the same. Therefore,
this type of a social media campaign is integral in driving the sales prospects of a company.

Importance of Responsible Behaviour and Organisational Sustainability in Social Media

Marketing
Diversity

Conclusion and Recommendation

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