Embedded Files
Purpose
Purpose
This study looks to explore Generation Z’s interaction with social media marketing material and their buying intention of clothing.
Research is being completed to understand how Generation Z goes through the entire customer journey lifecycle when purchasing clothing. What captures Generation Z’s attention in marketing fast fashion on social media will also be determined.
The data collected from this study will be crucial in targeting Generation Z in the clothing industry.
Method
Method
The instrument that will be used to conduct this study is a digital questionnaire survey. Surveys allow researchers to gain a better understanding of the thoughts and opinions of large groups of people. Quantitative studies are best conducted with online surveys because the high volume of responses will contribute to more accurate findings. An interview would have been much more time-consuming, and not been an overview of a demographic’s opinions. Future marketers can utilize this audience analysis which will help “determine what your potential audience already thinks, feels, or believes about your topic” (Davis & Lachlan, 2017).
The survey will allow the researcher to gain a baseline understanding of the target audience’s perception and create more successful advertisements. The questions can test individual variables and provide market research about Generation Z. Research conducted will work to give marketers more insight into Generation Z’s consumer habits and help craft a campaign to promote sustainable clothing that will resonate with them.
Procedure
Procedure
A variety of tactics were utilized to collect 112 survey participant responses. The researcher created a Qualtrics survey for data collection. The survey was distributed through email, and on the researcher's social media. The social media platforms included but were not limited to Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
These accounts were beneficial in allowing the researcher to reach large amounts of people. The survey was posted with a short message explaining the goals and purpose of the study.
Participants
Participants
All participants were a part of Generation Z, being born between 1996-2010, and at least 18 years old. There weren't any specifications on gender or ethnicity.
Participants did not need to have been previously exposed to fast fashion ads via social media but did not necessarily need to know what greenwashing is or have seen it before. The messaging encouraged people who have shopped online for clothing to take the survey
During this period, a total of 112 responses were collected. Among the respondents, 16.1% (n=18) identified as male and 83.9% (n=94) as female (Figure 1).
Figure 2: Race and ethnicity of this sample consisted of 89.2% (n=99) White/ Caucasian, 5.4% (n=6) Hispanic/ Latinx, 2.7% (n=3) Other, 1.8% (n=2) Asian/ Pacific, 0.9% (n=1) African American, 0.9% (n=1) Middle Eastern.
Survey responses were only recorded if participants fell within Generation Z and were 18 years of age and older. Participants who identified as 17 years of age or younger, 3.6%, were immediately filtered out of the final results.
There were 62.5% (n=70) of young Gen Z ranging from 18-21 years old and 33.9% (n=38) of older Gen Z from 22-25 years old (Figure 3).
Instrument
Instrument
Qualtrics was utilized to create and publish a questionnaire. The survey questions were written and aimed to answer the three research questions. The survey included 24 questions in total. There was an initial question about consenting to participate in the study, followed by four screening questions about demographics to make sure participants were eligible. There was a variety of questions ranging from Likert scales, multiple choice, and rank order.
Click the link to explore the survey questions.
Image from: PR Newswire
Analysis of Research Questions
The first research question considered Generation Z’s consumer journey (DV) after being exposed to social media marketing of fast fashion (IV). It is important to gain an understanding of what happens after the initial interaction or awareness of a brand through social media ads. Was there something persuasive in taking the customer down the funnel to purchase and advocacy? Or was there a type of post that was very off-putting? By having the participants rank the types of posts from most engaging to least, marketers will be able to implement this research into their strategy for Generation Z.
Research question two considers whether or not Generation Z’s knowledge of environmental issues impacts their buying habits when shopping for clothing. Gen Z is known for being vocal environmental advocates and speaking out about climate change (Tyson, Kennedy, & Funk, 2021). Yet ironically, Generation Z is also one of the biggest consumers of the fast fashion industry, which is greatly polluting the earth. This study uncovers what are the largest reasons Gen Z is purchasing from fast fashion brands online.
Image from: New York Times
Image from: New York Times
The final research question explored whether or not participants knew what greenwashing in fashion marketing was. They were then asked if they were aware of greenwahsing proir to taking the survey. The goal of these questions was to learn more about Gen Z consumers' buying intentions after reading about how greenwashing is done by many major retailers.
Image from: TFL
Page updated
Report abuse