Quel est l'impact des stratégies de communication liées au développement durable sur la réputation des entreprises de fast-fashion? (étude de cas: H&M et Zara)

Abstract

For several years, we have witnessed the emergence of a new economic model in the fashion and clothing sector: fast fashion. The principle is simple: passing fashion, ultra-fast consumption, very short products’ lifecycle and unbeatable prices.

In addition to this evolution in the market, we note that consumer attitudes are changing in all the economic sectors that push companies to review their positioning. Indeed, driven by the power of knowledge that gives the technological evolution- the media and the speed of information sharing- the consumer develops more specific expectations regarding business ethics, their compliance with social standards and environmental issues.

Fast-fashion brands have had to adapt their strategies to meet these new expectations, avoid seeing their reputation tarnished by scandals and remain competitive. Among new positioning strategies, we will specifically focus on those that, in response to contemporary consumer concerns, are based on values ​​and, more specifically, on sustainable development.

Then, the communication strategies relating to this new positioning will be analyzed by focusing our case study on two giants in the fast-fashion sector: Zara and H&M. The parallel study of these two brands is particularly relevant since, as we will observe, although the concrete actions implemented by these companies are relatively similar, their communication strategies differ considerably.

Our goal will then be to measure, on the consumer, the impact of these communication strategies based on this specific positioning that companies implement with sustainable development.

Given the proliferation of marketing strategies based on the so-called "ethical" values ​​(cause-related marketing, green marketing, greenwashing), we will notice, indeed, that we are currently witnessing an increase in consumer skepticism, which is likely to turn campaigns based on sustainable development into real reputational risk for the company.