Lifestyle branding as a brand-oriented positioning strategy: Insights from Spanish fashion consultants

ABSTRACT

This paper expands knowledge of lifestyle branding by defining and identifying its scope, as well as its relationship to fashion branding. The term itself is ubiquitous in management, but remains undefined from a holistic point of view and is understudied in the academic literature. We thus address this gap and complement previous conceptualizations with empirical research on lifestyle fashion branding. The study herein relies on seven semi-structured, in-depth interviews with experienced Spanish fashion brand consultants who advise prestigious fashion companies in Spain. The interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis and Atlas.ti 7.5.18 software, employing an interpretive, qualitative approach. This paper’s primary contribution is found in its empirical study of lifestyle branding conceptualizations from fashion professionals with diverse fashion expertise, including in digital branding, lifestyle retailing, strategic communications, public relations, influencer marketing and social media. Insights into lifestyle branding conceptualizations in relation to fashion retailing emerge from their combined expertise, which then further point to opportunities for expanded research on lifestyle branding in a variety of fashion retail contexts.

生活方式品牌在主流时尚媒体和管理中有许多概念化的现象。该品牌已经在不同的行业中进行过研究, 但很少有学者从科学的角度提供定义 或尝试将其含义概念化。有人呼吁进行更严格的研究以了解这种品牌类型。正是由于学术界缺乏对这种品牌类型的研究和全面的定义, 我们进行了本项研究。本研究采用了定性研究范式, 因为这种范式日益得到认可和重视, 成为在时尚研究中传达科学成果的重要方法。本研究对来自不同专业的时装品牌顾问进行了七次深度访谈。时尚品牌顾问的抽样是基于意向和理论标准。采访记录最终被导入到Atlas.ti 7.1.18软件包中, 并使用主题分析方法进行分析, 以寻找关系的主题和模式。

就文献而言, 有关生活品味营销的知识体系解释了美国市场细分中生活品味的概念, 对营销研究中的生活方式进行了系统的综述 并对有关全球时装公司的生活方式品牌的概念进行了分析。这些概念在学者和从业者之间存在分歧。但是, 这些概念都是零散的, 分散的, 既没有呈现出有关生活方式品牌的理论发展的统一体, 也没有在西班牙时装零售环境中进行过实证检验。本研究的创新性在于可以将这些零散的概念结合在一起, 并以此将生活方式品牌的共同主题进行分类, 即:象征性的宇宙创造; 品牌形象制定; 客户身份和社会效益; 种类繁多的产品; 品牌创始人的角色和口碑, 社区及关系。

KEYWORDS:

• Lifestyle branding
• Spanish fashion brands
• lifestyle positioning
• lifestyle brands
• thematic analysis

关键词:

• 生活方式品牌
• 西班牙时尚品牌
• 生活品味定位
• 生活方式品牌
• 主题分析

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article