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

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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