module specification

This module allows students to explore contemporary fashion branding, in retail and media, advancing their theoretical and practical marketing communications knowledge and critical understanding. Students will examine consumer and reader behaviour in relation to branding, considering tools, psychology and strategy in the marketing communications mix.
Assessment will be through multimedia group presentation, a major group project, individual coursework and tutor moderated self reflection.

• To build and extend relevant knowledge of communication practices in fashion
• To increase students’ analytical, evaluative, branding and business skills, as well as creativity
• To thoroughly understand brand loyalty and consumer behaviour
• To develop a good working knowledge of fashion PR and advertising
• To be able to understand the ethos, readership, advertising potential and journalistic style of fashion magazines and websites, and magazines published by retailers

• The theory of branding; brand creation, personality, portfolio, power and influence
• Fashion/consumer magazine and newspaper brands: overview of the history of fashion media using case studies, studying different brand personalities/power
• The power of magazines: the repertoire of magazines, the magazine-reader relationship, advertising costs, circulation and context
• Brand positioning/differentiation – case studies of fashion magazines
• Understanding the fashion consumer/fashion follower; consumer behaviour and psychology, how they build loyalty with particular brands and publications
• The role of public relations (PR): the costs of PR, types of PR function, credibility, providing evidence of effectiveness, media catching, the role of PR in crisis management
• Advertising: models of advertising, assessing the effectiveness of traditional media, use of emotion in advertising
• The source of brand power: building brand equity and the evolution of social brands
• Branding across the fashion industry – how it is used by local and international retail brands, luxury, high street and independent brands
• Communicating a brand; message origin, content reception, making noise, opinion leaders, formers, followers
• Developing brands with word-of-mouth communications and social media
• Sensory branding/marketing and engaging the consumer through emotional triggers
• Use of sponsorship, sales promotions, advertising, direct marketing, personal selling, publicity, events and digital media by fashion brands and magazines; costs, circulation and context
• Celebrity endorsement: collaborations, celebrity lifecycle & saturation, measuring the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement, celebrities and charities, trends
• Branding at fashion shows, fashion weeks, showrooms, exhibitions and events
• The effectiveness of different media channels used by brands
• Corporate reputation; corporate image identity, personality
• Ethical and sustainable brands and how they are regulated
• Brands in crisis; signs, symptoms and cures
• The future of branding for fashion media and retail

• Interactive workshops with a mix of teaching (with multimedia support), group work, case studies, guest speakers, field trips and individual learning
• Use of weblearn, including discussion forums, to share ideas and information and assess class contribution via journals and discussion boards
• Background reading to develop understanding of fashion branding and to keep up-to-date with fashion publishing
• One-to-one tutorials throughout the module and small group-based shared learning/exchange of ideas/critique of texts
• Regular debate and presentations to develop confidence and social/audience skills

• Be able to promote products and services within the fashion industry using appropriate methods and language
• Be able to show the use of branding and communications theory, creatively and analytically, when launching and developing fashion brands and products
• Demonstrate awareness of consumer behaviour through understanding the development and launch of brands and products
• Show how to work confidently and professionally at entry level in fashion PR and/or advertising
• Be able to talk and write about fashion in a range of media styles and for editorial and commercial purposes

To increase confidence, technical marketing skills, professionalism, teamwork and employability, students will engage in assessed group presentation, a group business and planning project, a detailed individual case study and self reflection on participation and engagement across the module, via online journal.

Group presentation on the power of branding using multimedia and original research. Use of social media.
Group project: Marketing communication plan 2,000 words - students will be required to compile a detailed brand, launch and communication plan for a new fashion website (media or retail) or magazine (editorial or commercial). Assessed by contribution and log of individual work.website (media or retail) or magazine (editorial or commercial). Assessed by contribution and log of individual work.
Individual report: 3,000 word detailed study of an existing fashion magazine or website in terms of its brand and identity
Class contribution – Class contribution assessed by contribution to online journal

• Bartlett, D, Cole, S and Rocamora, A (editors) (2013). Fashion Media: Past and Present. Bloomsbury Academic. London.
• Benmiloud, J, Brown, G and O’Shannessey, P (2015). Brand Love: How to Build a Brand Worth Talking About. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. USA.
• Humberstone, F (2015). How to Style Your Brand: Everything You Need to Know to Create a Distinctive Brand Identity. Copper Beech Press. London.
• Posner, H (2015). Second edition. Marketing Fashion, Strategy, Branding and Promotion. Laurence King Publishing. London.
• Tungate, M (2012). Third edition. Fashion Brands: Branding Style from Armani to Zara. Kogan Page. London.
• StartUp Fashion: http://startupfashion.com/