PEOPLE

Today’s planet is filled with billions of people from different cultures and racial backgrounds – such is the pillar of ‘People’ within the fashion industry, which enhances any company’s horizons by including diversity, and representation for a broader range of brand recognition.

Brands, be it in the fashion industry or any other, have been targeting different generations of consumers to increase their output as well as their brand image – which is why it is imperative that, now more than ever, brands create a diverse and inclusive portfolio to attract more of the ‘new leaders’ – the Gen Z (Moran, 2022). As fashion consumers, Gen Z is the “digital natives” (Drapers, 2022) who have adapted to the fast-paced methods of online shopping, discount sales and promo codes. As described in the image from Mckinsey&Company below, Gen Z differs extremely from their older counterparts – including their behaviour and their consumption patterns, which vary from generation to generation. While Gen X cared more about their “status” and “luxury” (Francis and Hoefel, 2018) when buying items, Gen Z chose to focus on consuming ethically made and “unique” (Francis and Hoefel, 2018) products. This highlights how Gen Z are working towards a more sustainable and ethical future. Gen Z’s consumption patterns highly depend on a company’s transparency towards its manufacturing regulations.

Bandwagon marketing and testimonial advertisements are some of the ways in which brands have tried to adapt to the evolving and accepting mindsets of Gen Z. As a generation, they care about their ethics and principles, resulting in them mostly shopping from brands that “align with their core value” (LS:N Global, 2021). As explained in an article by CNN (Ebrahimji, 2020), Nike started a campaign on anti-racism in June of 2020 in order to focus on how “sports can break down barriers too” (Ebrahimji, 2020). This resulted in increased positive engagement within Nike’s social platforms as most Gen Z consumers worldwide supported this movement.

Since there are multiple studies that show that “ethically-diverse companies” are more successful than the rest (BOF and Mckinsey&Company, 2022), having people skills can increase a brand’s engagement with their consumers in a positive light – making them more loyal. Here are some essential people skills that a fashion company needs to increase their sales to become more successful. From agility to flexibility, brands can focus on various skills to create a safer and more inclusive environment for their workers and consumers alike. This would increase their consumer reach, especially within Gen Z.

REFERENCE LIST:

Ebrahimji, A. (2020) Nike is saying ‘don’t do it’ in a message about racism in America, CNN. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/30/business/nike-dont-do-it-message-trnd/index.html (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Francis, T. and Hoefel, F. (2022) ‘true gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies, McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Moran, G. (2022) Gen Z and millennials 2022, Drapers. Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/guides/gen-z-and-millennials-2022 (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Moran, G. (2022) Maximise your people performance to deliver great in-store experiences, Drapers. Available at: https://www.drapersonline.com/insight/the-industry-view/maximise-your-people-performance-to-deliver-great-in-store-customer-experiences (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Scott, S. and Buller, A. (2021) Generation Z research brands before buying, LS:N. Available at: https://www.lsnglobal.com/news/article/26521/stat-generation-z-research-brands-before-buying (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

IMAGES

Francis, T. and Hoefel, F. (2022) ‘true gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies, McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies (Accessed: October 16, 2022). 

Midwood, M. (2020) Nike releases a powerful anti-racism campaign, Cosmopolitan. Available at: https://www.cosmopolitanme.com/health-fitness/nike-releases-a-powerful-anti-racism-campaign (Accessed: October 16, 2022).