AFRICAN GENERATION Y STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF SELECTED MARKETING ACTIVITIES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CLOTHING BRANDS

Year 2018, Volume: 10 Issue: 2, 0 - 0, 31.12.2018

Heleneze-tiane Lue

Abstract

The fashion industry is a significant contributor to both the South African and the
global economy. Despite this industry experiencing growth in South Africa,
fashion brands and retailers are facing various challenges, including increased
competition from the influx of international fashion brands into the market. This,
coupled with tighter consumer budgets, intensifies the competition between
fashion brands. As a result, effective differentiation, by means of branding, is
imperative. A significant part of building a strong brand is the development of
unique marketing strategies and a comprehensive understanding of the target
market’s needs, as well as the factors influencing their buying behaviour. In South
Africa, the African Generation Y cohort (individuals born between 1986 and
2005) is of specific interest to fashion marketers, given the significant size of this
market segment and their spending on fashion items. This study sought to
determine whether African Generation Y students’ perceptions of selected
marketing activities differ based on their favourite clothing brands. This study
utilised a self-administered questionnaire to collect data from a convenience
sample of 352 African students registered at three South African public higher
education institution campuses situated in Gauteng. Data analysis included
descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and one-way analysis of variance
(ANOVA). The findings indicate that no statistically significant differences are
evident between African Generation Y students’ perceptions of the product- and
advertising activities of their favourite clothing brands. However, statistically
significant differences were found between the students’ perceptions of the
pricing and store image activities of their favourite clothing brands. The main
findings of this study infer that price is an important indicator of quality and status
among this generational cohort, and that the image of the stores through which the
fashion brands are distributed should be consistent with this generational cohort’s
self-image.

Keywords

fashion brands, marketing activities, South Africa, African Generation Y students, store brands, manufacturer brands

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