The Effect of UT Collection UNIQLO Collaborative Branding Strategy Towards Customer Repurchase Intention

Abstract

The competitiveness between fast-fashion that driven by the how style and cultures are changing rapidly leads the fast-fashion to be ‘different’ and carried out ‘brand development’ using collaborative branding, a form of brand alliance that work collaboratively to create a points of differentiation, gain exposure between the two companies, and to expand their market by pulling the market from their partner. In June 2021, UNIQLO UT Collection is one of fast fashion that implement collaborative branding strategy with the famous anime series, Jujutsu Kaisen that resulted a surge in purchase. However, there is still an uncertainty regarding repurchase intention of UNIQLO general products will be affected by the market created with the brand’s collaboration with Jujutsu Kaisen or not. Therefore, this research intends to analyse the affect variable predicted by UNIQLO’s strategy of collaborative branding and how it leads to customer repurchase intention. This research also intends to determine which of the variable predicted by the brand’s strategy of collaborative branding that affect the repurchase intention by UNIQLO customers. This research focuses on UNIQLO in Indonesia and its customers. This research is conducted through qualitative approach by semi-structured interview and quantitative approach by online survey towards customer who bought UNIQLO UT Collection x Jujutsu Kaisen. The researcher uses open coding to analyze the interview result and uses descriptive statistic and PLS-SEM to analyze the survey result. The result indicates that Need for Uniqueness and Brand Image positively influenced UNIQLO UT Collection collaborative branding. Furthermore, UNIQLO UT Collection collaborative branding also shows the same positive influence towards Consumer Perception of Self-Image Congruence, Satisfaction, and Repurchase Intention toward UNIQLO brand product. Moreover, Need for Uniqueness, Brand Preferences and Satisfaction has a positive influence towards Repurchase Intention toward UNIQLO brand product. The finding of this research is expected to give insight about collaborative branding strategy on fashion industry or industry related to merchandise in Indonesia.