Soyoung Kim, Mary A. Littrell and Jennifer L. Paff Ogle
The purpose of this research was to examine the relative importance of socially responsible attitudes, along with catalogue shopping involvement and product‐related attributes, as…
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to examine the relative importance of socially responsible attitudes, along with catalogue shopping involvement and product‐related attributes, as predictors of consumers' intentions to purchase apparel. Data were collected through a mail questionnaire to randomly selected customers of an alternative trade catalogue; the 320 respondents represented a 67 per cent response rate. Data were analysed by a maximum‐likelihood estimation procedure using LISREL VII. The proposed model exhibited good fit to the data as evidenced by chi‐square, GFI, AGFI, and RMS measures. Social responsibility, desire for individuality in dress and shopping involvement were all positive predictors of intention to purchase apparel. Desire for individuality exerted the greatest influence, followed by attitudes toward social responsibility.
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Mary A. Littrell, Jennifer L Paff Ogle and Soyoung Kim
This research was designed to generate inductively distinguishable clusters of ethnic apparel consumers; theoretical propositions describing these clusters were intended as a…
Abstract
This research was designed to generate inductively distinguishable clusters of ethnic apparel consumers; theoretical propositions describing these clusters were intended as a comparative benchmark for further research as a guidance for marketing of ethnic apparel to definable consumer segments. Data were collected from a nationwide mail survey (n = 348) of ethnic apparel consumers. Clothing benefits, attitudes toward alternative trading organisations, beliefs about world issues, personal values, patronage commitment, and demographic characteristics were measured. Consumer clusters were formed and analysed through principal component, cluster, MANOVA, ANOVA and chi square analysis. Two distinguishable clusters emerged with salient differences relative to creativity and individuality, culture‐specific versus pancultural focus, body size and camouflage, interest in fashion, hedonic experience and design complexity. Recommendations for further research and for marketing to multiple consumer segments were offered.
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Jennifer Ogle, Karen H. Hyllegard, Ruoh-Nan Yan and Mary A. Littrell
The purpose of this work was to identify segments of the US teen girl market based on the importance that these consumers assign to various product attributes in the apparel…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this work was to identify segments of the US teen girl market based on the importance that these consumers assign to various product attributes in the apparel purchase decision process and to characterize these consumer segments in relation to their engagement in fashion and social responsibility.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was administered to 157 teen girls (14-18 years). The questionnaire included demographic items and measures of the importance of product attributes in the apparel purchase decision, fashion involvement, materialism, charitable/social cause involvement and past socially responsible apparel purchasing behavior. A two-step cluster analysis, employing Ward’s method and k-means clustering, was conducted on each participant’s factor scores on the four dimensions of the product attributes scale.
Findings
Three clusters were identified: the Conventionalists (n = 50, 31.8 per cent), the Self-Satisfiers (n = 34, 21.7 per cent) and the Embracers (n = 73, 46.5 per cent). MANOVA revealed differences among the clusters related to fashion involvement, social cause involvement, materialism and past socially responsible apparel purchasing behavior.
Practical implications
Results suggest that teen girls may respond positively to trendy apparel products designed with attention to issues of the environment, labor and/or charitable/social causes, particularly if the products are perceived as esthetically appealing and provide utilitarian value.
Originality/value
This work offers unique insights into teen girls’ apparel consumption behaviors by employing a benefit segmentation approach to explore the role that issues of social responsibility may play in teen girls’ apparel purchase decisions.
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Jennifer Paff Ogle, Karen H. Hyllegard and Ruoh-Nan Yan
The purpose of this study is to invoke a consumer socialization approach to compare mothers and tween daughters on variables that may shape their clothing preferences and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to invoke a consumer socialization approach to compare mothers and tween daughters on variables that may shape their clothing preferences and consumption behaviors. Additionally, this study explored the variables that predict how mothers and daughters respond to Pretty Brainy, an online clothing company that incorporates prosocial messaging into its product design and marketing.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 106 mother-daughter pairs using an online survey. In completing the survey, participants were instructed to view and evaluate the Pretty Brainy brand web site and clothing.
Findings
Mothers and daughters assigned similar degrees of importance to several clothing characteristics – including aesthetics/design, comfort, fit, use of socially responsible construction/production methods, and use of high performance technology – providing support for the consumer socialization model. Mothers and daughters were not similar on all clothing constructs explored, however, differing on the importance of some clothing characteristics examined (notably, brand name), as well as past socially responsible clothing purchase behavior, clothing involvement, and proximity of clothing to self. These differences may be explained in part by the mothers’ and daughters’ respective life stages. Among both mothers and daughters, attitude toward brand was the strongest predictor of purchase intention toward Pretty Brainy, which is consistent with established models of the attitude-intention relationship.
Originality/value
This study provides understanding about the influence of mothers upon tween girls’ clothing consumption behaviors, helping to clarify inconsistencies in prior work as well as lending new insights into the role of mothers in socializing their daughters with respect to socially responsible clothing consumption.
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Karen H. Hyllegard, Jennifer Paff Ogle and Ruoh-Nan Yan
The purpose of this paper is to explore consumers’ responses to prosocial marketing claims presented on apparel hang tags. Guided by the theory of reasoned of action, this study…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore consumers’ responses to prosocial marketing claims presented on apparel hang tags. Guided by the theory of reasoned of action, this study examined the impact of varied prosocial claims (environment, labor, cancer charity) upon college students’ evaluations of hang tags used to promote university-branded apparel (i.e. t-shirts) as well as their attitudes and patronage intentions toward the apparel.
Design/methodology/approach
An intercept survey approach, with an experimental design component, was used to administer a written questionnaire to 262 college students. The experimental design component required participants to examine a university-branded t-shirt and to read the information provided on the product hang tag attached to the t-shirt.
Findings
In total, 60 percent of college students read apparel hang tags on a very frequent or frequent basis to gain information about brand name, care instructions, and fiber content. Further, college students evaluated apparel hang tags featuring prosocial marketing claims more positively than they evaluated hang tags with no prosocial marketing claim. In turn, these evaluations positively predicted the amount of money students were willing to pay for a university-branded t-shirt as well as their attitudes and purchase intentions toward university-branded apparel.
Research limitations/implications
Findings suggest that apparel companies engaged in socially responsible business practices may wish to develop hang tags that address both desired product attributes as well as company engagement in prosocial initiatives.
Originality/value
This study extends the understanding of the role that prosocial marketing claims play in informing consumer's attitudes and behaviors relative to apparel.
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Karen Hyllegard, Jennifer Ogle and Ruoh‐Nan Yan
The purpose of this paper is to examine Gen Y consumers' responses to American Apparel's use of two advertising message strategies – fair labour and sex appeal, using the theory…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine Gen Y consumers' responses to American Apparel's use of two advertising message strategies – fair labour and sex appeal, using the theory of reasoned action to predict intent to patronize American Apparel and comparing the utility of the classic reasoned action model with an extended model that included variables external to the theory.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was administered to 425 consumers, who were randomly assigned to one of four advertisement exposure groups. Group 1 evaluated an American Apparel ad (Ad No. 1) that promoted fair labour practices. Groups 2, 3, and 4 evaluated Ad No. 1 as well as one of three additional ads that featured messages employing sex appeal of varied intensities.
Findings
Participants' attitudes toward American Apparel were more positive when they were exposed to the fair labour message, only, than when they were exposed to the fair labour message in conjunction with one of the three sex appeal messages. In the classic reasoned action models, intent to patronize American Apparel was consistently predicted by attitude toward the retailer. Extending the models increased the explained variance for Groups 1, 2, and 3, with several variables adding predictive utility.
Research limitations/implications
A fair labour message may contribute to positive evaluations of apparel advertisements and may build positive attitudes toward apparel retailers. Thus, when appropriate, apparel retailers might consider using a fair labour message strategy, rather than a sex appeal message strategy.
Originality/value
The study explores consumer responses to two distinct advertising message strategies not often used simultaneously by a single company within the contemporary marketplace and examines the influence of these responses and other variables on patronage intention.
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The emphasis on primary sources and disciplinary literacy skills in not only the Common Core State Standards, but other national curricula (i.e. College Board exams and the NCSS…
Abstract
Purpose
The emphasis on primary sources and disciplinary literacy skills in not only the Common Core State Standards, but other national curricula (i.e. College Board exams and the NCSS C3 Framework) requires that teachers continue to find ways to integrate these skills into their elementary and secondary classrooms. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces a cross-disciplinary approach that integrates primary source reading skills and the arts to cultivate student literacy and creativity though the writing of found poems.
Findings
Found poetry activities based on social studies primary sources allow students to practice literacy skills, engage more deeply with social studies content, and also may encourage the development of historical empathy toward the experiences and perspectives of distant peoples and events.
Practical implications
After reading and analyzing primary sources, students can create and present their found poems in diverse formats which allows for student expression and creativity in the classroom. Teachers can easily modify found poetry activities to meet the needs of diverse learners.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills the identified need to increase literacy skills and incorporate more student participation in the classroom. Using the strategy of student-inspired found poems, primary sources become more tangible and meaningful to students. Found poems offer yet another way to integrate the arts into social studies education.
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Caroline Kobia and Chuanlan Liu
The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of teen consumers’ adoption of virtual fashion. Specifically, the study assessed the effects of individual variables…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of teen consumers’ adoption of virtual fashion. Specifically, the study assessed the effects of individual variables, including fashion innovativeness and peer pressure, on needs gratification, attitudes and adoption of virtual fashion worlds (VFWs) among teen girl consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was designed and administered to a convenience sample of female teens. Empirical analyses were performed on 177 valid responses. Structural equation modeling was used to test all hypotheses.
Findings
The results revealed that adoption of VFWs in the sample was affected significantly by teen female consumers’ needs gratification, attitudes about VFWs and fashion innovativeness. However, peer pressure had no effects.
Originality/value
The emergence of different types of virtual worlds has influenced the way in which business is conducted, and VFWs are a popular trend. However, no studies have examined consumers’ adoption of VFWs that promote fashion using avatars and offer similar styles for teens in the real world. The study adds to existing literature related to consumers’ adoption of innovations by integrating communication, sociological and innovation adoption theories.