Date of Award
2020
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Honors Thesis
Department
Communications
First Advisor
Robert Norris
Abstract
As defined by researcher and author Kate Fletcher, slow fashion is “where pleasure and fashion are linked with awareness and responsibility” in which a company emphasizes the quality of its products, working conditions, environmental impact, and societal impact. With the rise of slow fashion companies, this research seeks to determine the role of social media engagement, specifically on Instagram, with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) messaging. Over 120 million U.S. users are on Instagram, and companies can use these platforms to directly communicate with consumers no matter their stage in the Consumer Decision Journey of product purchasing. This paper analyzes the content of Instagram posts to determine how slow fashion companies utilize CSR messaging and practices to encourage ethical consumer behavior. To answer this question, six brands were analyzed for Instagram post content and engagement rate. The results determined that the relationship between CSR content and engagement is fairly dependent on individual brand characteristics. However, the research provides insights in regard to the fashion industry and consumer engagement on social media.
Recommended Citation
Bluthardt, Brittany, "Fashion Corporate Social Responsibility on Instagram" (2020). Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection. 514.
https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/ugtheses/514