Promoting Adaptive Apparel on Instagram: The Role of People with Disabilities as Users, Influencers, and Advocates

Abstract

This study aimed to understand how social media is used as a marketing and promotion tool for fashion brands within the adaptive apparel marketplace and further explores how disability advocates and influencers use social media to promote adaptive apparel. To achieve this goal, the study used a qualitative methodology of semi-structured interviews and a computational methodology of collocation analysis to analyze social media posts from users with hashtags related to adaptive apparel. The result of the study revealed three themes that supported social capital theory, communities of practice, and virtual communities of practice theories – Inclusion, Representation, and Education. Further, the data mining phase provided valuable insights into the significant event and the broader community of people with disabilities. This study showed how fashion brands, disability organizations, advocates, and people with disabilities use social media to market and promote adaptive apparel.