Advertising: What Values are shown when promoting a Fast Fashion versus a Sustainable Brand? 

    The purpose of advertising is to spread awareness about a certain topic to the public sphere through our vast media landscape. In our new 'digital first' environment, commercial advertising takes place on about every platform accessible from your smartphone. 

    For this digital archive, I was curious to see the ways in which different categories of fashion choose to advertise themselves and display their brand's 'personality'. I wanted to focus in specific on advertising for fast-fashion and sustainable brands, as I was curious how different their approaches are for attracting a potential customer.  

    I chose for Youtube to be the medium for this digital archive, as the advertising on this platform tends to be broader for the acquisition of a more general audience. Along with this, Youtube advertisements are longer and more in depth than other advertisements on social media apps like Instagram or TikTok. This gives us the opportunity to see how each brand decides to focus this extended time, and what aspects they decide to emphasize for the viewer. Considering Youtube's extensive life on the internet, it serves as an impressive archive of commercials and is considered a trustworthy space to advertise, and it is much easier to access these advertisements by search as well. Usually you don't have to ask for advertisements, but in this case, I am!

Limitations: I did have difficulties trying to find advertisements that were of the same length and released at the same time. Luckily, all of these advertisements are after the year 2020. 

FAST FASHION: 

Shein: 

Summary: Diverse women in an array of bright swimwear frolicking on the beach. Happy music, quick shots and lots of transitions. They seem 'free'.

Fashion Nova: 

Summary: Diverse women in bright colors, noticeably 'trendy' designs, remains elegant. Similar style to Shein with fast paced editing and transitions. In a luxurious environment with female rap; feels empowering to an extent. 

Forever 21: 

Summary: This advertisement also has a diverse cast with bright clothing, but the commercial seems to focus much more on the environment surrounding the filming (Donwtown LA). Nonetheless it is edited at breakneck speed, with dynamic visuals throughout. 

SUSTAINABLE FASHION: 

Everlane: 

Summary: Diverse cast of men and women in a very minimalistic white backgrounded setting. Feels well-paced. Uses speech and text to convey their brand's identity while showing models in a way that feels relatable. Ends with "premium, organic jeans". 

Patagonia: 

Summary: Dynamic action shots of winter sports cut with flashes of Patagonia's outerwear. Uses text to talk about their commitment to making high performance outerwear without compromising materials, in this case, PFC's or "perflourinated" chemicals. They state: "Together, we reached that goal". Intense music overlayed by people talking and laughing, or sounds of equipment. No 'models'. 

Reformation: 

Summary: Shows a fake 'cat-walk' with diverse models walking down while upbeat, jazzy music plays. Shows a variety of minimalist cuts and silhouettes in neutral colors and the occasional pop of color. This cat-walk continues for the entirety of the advertisement, with the only text displayed saying: "This show never happened. We know it looks like we did a show, but we don't have time for that. We were too busy making cute, sustainable stuff for you. Sorry, we faked it". 

Findings and Conclusion 

Oftentimes, a consumer will be first introduced to a certain product through advertisements like these. Analyzing these advertisements for their face value, and not their contextual place in the digital fashion marketing landscape, is crucial as we put ourselves in the shoes of their target audience. The stories these advertisements choose to tell are often expressive of a larger idea, one that consumers must choose to turn a keen eye to when collecting their impressions of the viewing experience. 

Comparing the Fast Fashion advertisements 

I feel that these advertisements are not too difficult to compare amongst themselves as they show distinctive qualities of what I tend to associate with my schema of fast fashion. Shein and Fashion Nova's advertisements are essentially the same; just promoting different types of clothing (bathing suits vs. 'semi-formal' spring wear). They both featured a small cast of women with diverse bodies and skin tones, which are both signals of welcoming and accessibility to a large audience. The clothing is incredibly bright and eye-catching, and paired with the rapid editing, could lead to more impulsive buying decisions. Along with this, there is a lack of narrative that leads the viewer to purchase for the sole reason of the clothing being appealing. 

    Forever21's advertisement stood out to me among these three because I thought that the visual narrative was very engaging. Despite F21's advertisement having considerably more cuts and a faster pace, I felt  it was effective due to the atmosphere they were able to create around it. Another reason why I think Forever21's advertisement is the most effective is due to their cultural significance and loyal Gen-Z customers who have been shopping with them since they were a young age. With their brand identity already being known, perhaps they feel more free to be experimental in advertising that focuses more on 'vibe' than anything else. This advertisement certainly speaks more to Gen-Z's sensibilities surrounding freedom and self expression- the styling was much more interesting in this advertisement as well. Along with that, the inclusion of IPhone footage was a relatable touch for Gen-Z viewers. I thought that F21's alignment with the visuals of Downtown LA was an interesting choice since it is such a culturally dense area, where the images shown could speak personally to viewers who live there. Unfortunately, I do believe that the advertising is rather targeted in this sense, as Downtown LA is a notoriously impoverished area, and shopping fast fashion is more widely accepted. 

    Forever21's advertisement successfully distracted me from the fact that almost all of their clothes are made from flammable plastic: nice! 

Comparing the Sustainable advertisements 

    I thought that the sustainable brand's advertisements fell closely in line with what I anticipated, but also that each had unique qualities that made each brand stand out in my mind. I will use the same variables that I weighted the fast fashion brands on, beginning with cast. All of these advertisements also featured a large cast of models, varying in ethnicities and body size. I previously stated that this signals a sense of accessibility, which remains true, despite the fact that these garments are much more expensive. The clothing shown in these advertisements are much less bright and colorful, but it is compensated for by the thoughtfulness of each advertisement. Each advertisement has a notable narrative that they guide the viewer through, expressing aspects of their brand's identity that they anticipate their target audience will feel drawn towards. 

    In terms of effectiveness, I'm having difficulties deciding which I felt the most drawn to. I appreciated how straight to the point and simple Everlane's advertisement was, but it didn't give me any lasting impressions that would lead for the brand to stand out to me in the future. 

    I thought that Patagonia's advertisement was incredibly cinematic and well executed. Their use of language was very effective in making me feel like I was a part of their "mission", despite me not owning any Patagonia or participating in any winter sports. Their brand ethos was very well displayed throughout the narrative, as they touched on aspects of sustainability and item quality while pairing visuals that amplified their message. 

    I wanted to save my personal favorite and what I found to be the most effective for last. I thought that Reformation's advertisement was a great display of effective Gen-Z targeting, and almost solely due to its language, and barely anything to do with the product itself. Gen-Z feels most seen in their cynical and passive-aggressive humor that has been curated by the past 15 years of doom and gloom surrounding politics, the environment, digital advancement, and a pandemic for some of our most formative years. When a brand acknowledges this mindset while remaining socially responsible, it's a match made in heaven for Gen-Z. This advertisement made me feel both seen and reassured at the same time. "We were too busy making cute, sustainable clothing for you. Sorry we faked it". Are you kidding? This is great stuff! Their narrative is so obvious they don't have time to fill you in on details. 

Takeaways

    The fast fashion trio of Shein, Fashion Nova, and Forever21 is characterized by their vibrant and energetic brand representations with quick cuts that aims to entice consumers with attention-grabbing garments. Out of the three, the Forever21 commercial engages its more loyal clientele with a lively narrative that highlights Gen-Z ideology of 'you only live once' through a message of personal expression and freedom to be yourself. Despite these advertisements being 'fun' or eye-catching, they still do not address the major concerns that fashion consumers have with these brands. 

    On the other hand, Everlane, Patagonia, and Reformation use meaningful narratives and visual storytelling that go beyond flashy design to prove their true value to the customer. While I would say each brand has successfully done just that in these commercials, the lasting impression was made by Reformation's awareness of the Gen-Z worldview, which appreciates a balance of cynicism and civic duty. Their straightforward and slightly passive-aggressive language regarding the fashion industry was a critique on our current issues with sustainability and clothing production, and it let the audience know that their concerns will always be heard with Reformation. 

    Each of these advertisements represent an effort to connect with their target audience through visuals and language they believe will be the most effective, and is in turn a reflection of themselves. While sustainable brands create narratives that appeal to individual values and conscientiousness, fast fashion draws in customers with its vivid and tangible allure. Analyzing these advertisements reveal a stark contrast between showy enticement and a more sincere consumer connection. Of course, in the end it is up to the consumer to decide, but it is important that consumers are aware of the tactics companies are using to capture our attention and translate it to profit.