module specification

 This module is for all students on fashion and journalism related courses. It is both practical and theoretical, developing an awareness of how branding is used across manufacture, retail and media and of how employment clusters around branding.
Thus, it is aimed at advancing practical marketing and communications skills as well as 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. Site visits will help understanding of the industry, while social media will be mined to understand how brands and audiences change in synergy. Serious issues about diversity and sustainability will challenge notions of brand identity and market share, enabling students to understand employment within its global contexts.
Assessment will be through multimedia group presentation, a major group project, individual coursework and tutor moderated self-reflection.

The module will cover general ideas about branding as well as its specific impact on journalism, PR and communication. Topics will include:
● The theory of branding; history of marketing, 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, advertising costs, circulation and context LO2, LO3
● 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 LO5
● 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 LO2, LO5
● Advertising: models of advertising, assessing the effectiveness of traditional media, use of emotion in advertising LO1, LO2, LO3
● Branding across the fashion industry – how it is used by local and international retail brands, luxury, high street and independent brands LO4, LO5
● Communicating a brand; message origin, content reception, making noise, opinion leaders, formers, followers, building your brand in a new market LO2, LO3
● Developing a consistent brand story and communicating it internally to your company and contractors to enhance your message LO2, LO3, LO5
● Developing brands with word-of-mouth communications and social media LO2, LO3, LO5
● Use of sponsorship, sales promotions, advertising, direct marketing, personal selling, publicity, events and digital media by fashion brands and magazines; costs, circulation and context LO2, LO3, LO5
● Celebrity endorsement: collaborations, celebrity lifecycle & saturation, measuring the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement, celebrities and charities, trends LI1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
● Branding at fashion shows, fashion weeks, showrooms, exhibitions and events LO2, LO3
● The retail environment: design, visual merchandising, POS marketing and in-store engagement. LO1, LO3
● The effectiveness of different media channels used by brands LO3, LO4, LO5
● Corporate reputation; corporate image identity, personality LO1, LO2
● Ethical and sustainable brands and how they are regulated LO2, LO3
● Brands in crisis; signs, symptoms and cures LO1, LO5
● The future of branding for fashion media and retail LO2, LO3, LO4
● Identifying trends in consumers and marketing and applying them effectively to your brand LO2, LO3, LO4
● Customer publishing: etailer blogs, physical magazines, branded content LO1, LO4, LO5

The course is taught in interactive workshops with a mix of teaching (with multimedia support), group work, case studies, guest speakers, field trips and individual learning. Contact with industry practices and people keeps ideas refreshed and practical.
Reading and group work is required outside class. The journal is an essential and assessed part of reflective learning.

students attend the sessions and complete the assessments, they should be able to:
1. Promote products and services within the fashion industry using appropriate methods and language;
2. Show the use of branding and communications theory, creatively and analytically, when launching and developing fashion brands and products;
3. Demonstrate awareness of consumer behaviour through understanding the development and launch of brands and products;
4. Show how to work confidently and professionally at entry level in fashion PR and/or advertising;
5. Talk and write about fashion in a range of media styles and for editorial and commercial purposes.

 The VLE is used to share ideas and information and assess class contribution via journals and discussion boards. Each week, feedback on journals acts as formative assessment and self reflection on participation and engagement across the module.
     Background reading will be encouraged to develop understanding of fashion branding and to keep up-to-date with fashion publishing, and practical assessments will test how well theory can inform students’ own practice. Regular class debates and presentations develop confidence and social/audience skills: these are then solidified in assessments.
     To increase confidence, technical marketing skills, professionalism, teamwork and employability, students will engage in assessed group presentation, a group business and planning project and a detailed individual case study.
     One-to-one tutorials will offer feedback on all formative assessments. All assessments will also be marked and returned within two weeks, electronically.

      Resit strategy for the group work will be discussed during the course of the module.

No text books
     Regular use of social media and keeping up to date with fashion industry news is crucial

     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/
www.vogue.com
www.businessoffashion.com

Instagram
Pinterest