Lifestyle Brand Research Articles

Lifestyle, nostalgia, and serial storytelling in the Southern Living South

This article analyzes Southern Living magazine's (1966-) growth into a total lifestyle brand across numerous media platforms. The magazine and its transmedia extensions have shaped southern lifestyle culture from the late 1960s on, curating a version of the region sourced from iconography of the Old South. The Southern Living Inspired Communities Project, consisting of neighborhoods chosen by the brand as the best places to live southern launched in 2014. I take Habersham, an Inspired Community near Beaufort, South Carolina as a case study to analyze attempts to capture southern living through architectural styles and lifestyle culture provided by the Southern Living total lifestyle brand. The use of antebellum aesthetics and ideologies guide the brand's preservation of a traditional South in the face of ongoing modernization and Americanization.

Diffusion of innovation in direct-to-avatar (D2A): A study of immersive communication and branding in the metaverse

Direct-to-Avatar (D2A) is the new phenomenon in the online retail segment. Brands are moving towards immersive commerce in which the central focus is on immersive communication for better customer experience in the metaverse. Diffusion of innovation theory acted as a theoretical framework to understand the premiums that the brands can enjoy from the customers by moving towards immersive commerce. 948 tweets on metaverse were analysed and five in-depth interviews with the experts on metaverse were conducted. For the quantitative study, the data were collected from a select metaverse Facebook group. The findings of PLS-SEM revealed that four factors - customer engagement, customer experience, value co-creation and customer empowerment - have statistically positive impact on customer citizenship behavior which ultimately affects customer satisfaction and loyalty towards the brands. The study extends the applications of diffusion of innovation theory in the content of immersive communication. It enriches the literature on technological advancements in immersive commerce. This is one of the first studies that focus on lifestyle brands in the metaverse. Also, this study depicts how socializing the digital brand communication with experience economy can be a key factor for lifestyle brands.

Yashram Lifestyle Brands Pvt Ltd: strategizing for omnichannel approach

Learning outcomes After completion of the case study, the students will be able to illustrate issues in offline marketing and strategy for an in-store business, familiarize students with the challenges involved in the decision-making in integrating online and offline marketing strategies, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of online and offline marketing and motivate students to apply marketing strategies to real-world business situations Case overview/synopsis Deepa Kumar, the founder of Yashram Lifestyle, had successfully built a niche brand with a strong online presence in the lingerie industry. Yashram Lifestyle was known for its innovative products and commitment to addressing the real-life vulnerabilities faced by women at different stages of life. With a vision to be a one-stop destination for all intimate and practical needs of women and girls, Yashram had introduced unique products such as period panties, starter bras, incontinence underwear and hygiene panties. On the contrary, Kumar acknowledged that offline marketing strategies, such as pop-up stores, collaborations with physical retailers and participation in industry events, could provide valuable insights into customer preferences, enhance brand visibility and foster direct customer engagement. Offline channels might also enable Yashram Lifestyle to better understand the market dynamics and further drive product innovation. However, owing to the associated costs, logistics and potential risks, Kumar was apprehensive about venturing into offline marketing. She wondered whether Yashram Lifestyle had the necessary assets and expertise to successfully scale up its operations while making these alternate decisions. Furthermore, she questioned herself whether offline marketing efforts would be worth the investment and whether they could lead to substantial growth and increased market share for Yashram Lifestyle. Complexity academic level The purpose of this case study is to provoke critical thought among undergraduate and postgraduate business and management students about Kumar’s potential course of action for Yashram Lifestyle to engage in offline marketing. It applies to the implementation of marketing strategy. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing.

Lifestyle as a Branding Strategy for the Sustainable Brand

The increasing need for concrete action to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis is pushing the younger generation towards more sustainable lifestyles to demand that companies pay more attention to the environment, human rights, and more general issues of social justice. Today, distrust of institutions is at an all-time high, and consumers expect more from the companies to which they are attached. At this point, brands can make a positive contribution to addressing these issues. On this basis, it becomes clear how important this can be for corporate strategy, as the companies that are able to inspire and earn long-term loyalty are the ones that are able to take on the role of point of reference in the society. The assumed role is crucial in the purchasing decisions of more conscious consumers and can be achieved, for example, through a brand position on a social issue or by offering a value system rather than a lifestyle proposition. It helps a brand that represents the lifestyle of a group of people driven by a strong desire to belong there and disrupt the status quo, to connect with customers and make its offer competitive. A lifestyle brand characterised by high symbolic power and a strong emotional connection with its target audience, by offering action to protect the environment, stimulates cultural change that appears critical in relation to hyper-consumption and the resulting environmental impact. This, however, enables its customers to gain greater satisfaction from their purchasing choices and represents a real opportunity to build a sustainable brand.

“What Is Not Assumed Is Not Redeemed”: Worship Lifestyle Branding at Bethel Church

“What Is Not Assumed Is Not Redeemed”: Worship Lifestyle Branding at Bethel Church

Flawed public diplomacy: when Croatia Instagram Riviera narrative destination branding ignores dark tourism amateurs

PurposeThis article tackles Croatian public diplomacy, destination and nation branding vis-à-vis an emerging Instagram trend to publish dark tourism related pictures sometimes using the official hashtag CroatiaFullOfLife; hence, poking Croatia tourism development accounts, which promote the country as merely a Riviera destination, and deletes the memories of Yugoslavian and Second Independence wars. Such a monolithic, shortsighted and amnesic destination branding strategy neglects alternative public tourism and public diplomacy opportunities.Design/methodology/approachThe article may improve the understanding of the links between the concepts of Public Diplomacy, nation and destination branding through an exploratory study of dark tourism amateurs experiences in Croatia, documented by pictures published on Instagram, the key digital social media for destination branding. It also outlines the history of Croatian tourism and government's efforts in promoting the overwhelming image of a sunny sea destination since the launching of the “Croatia Full Of Life” destination branding campaign in 2015. The study compares what and how dark tourism amateurs and Croatian main social media influencers publish contents destined to foreign publics.FindingsCroatia's official PR strategies and Instagram accounts ignore the increasing interest of foreign tourists, local younger generations and artists in abandoned places and Yugoslavian and Homeland War heritage monuments. These “light dark chiaroscuro” places are nowhere to be seen on Croatia's official Instagram account. Croatian government fails to embrace some aspects of the nation identity and to take advantage of Instagram trends and niche dark tourism influencers to boost and enrich its public diplomacy and the memorialization process of the darkest aspects of its past.Originality/valueThis research suggests that international Instagram influencers as well as local photographers, artists and history amateurs promote many shades of light–dark chiaroscuro tourism approaches. Their posts tell new narratives about the past and its memorialization, far from the silence and denial promoted by Croatian official Instagram accounts. Mainstream IG Croatian lifestyle marketing influencers and institutional accounts consistently shows beaches, blue waters and bikinis strictly respecting a monolithic, shortsighted and amnesic destination branding strategy. This study shows that some destination and nation-branding strategies could hinder rather than enhance public diplomacy.

E-Cigarette Retailers' Use of Instagram in New Zealand: A Content Analysis.

E-cigarette companies claim their products are key to improving health outcomes by providing smokers with lower-risk alternatives. However, the rapid uptake of e-cigarettes among young people has prompted concern about company marketing practices. In 2019, there was no legislation to govern e-cigarette marketing in New Zealand. This period provides an ideal context for examining how e-cigarette companies promoted their products before the introduction of marketing regulations. We conducted a content analysis of the Instagram accounts of five prominent e-cigarette retailers based in New Zealand during 2019-2020. We assessed health- and risk-related claims and marketing techniques. Less than 10% of Instagram posts refer to smoking alternatives or risk of nicotine addiction. E-cigarette devices were more likely to be promoted for stylistic features such as colours and ease of use (29.7%). Music festival sponsorship (19.1%), social media influencers (9.2%), and lifestyle marketing (41.5%) were identified as youth-oriented promotional strategies. E-cigarette retailers claim to promote harm-reduction tools to smokers, yet this study finds few references to smoking alternatives in any content. Instead, retailers utilised strategies to engage with a young audience, including festival sponsorship and stylish influencers. This youth-oriented marketing, in combination with weak and delayed government action, may have contributed to the high use of e-cigarettes among young New Zealanders.

A CASE REPORT ON NIKE: BRANDING A SIGN OF STATUS SYMBOL

Although it is simple to think that marketing consists solely of selling and advertising, today's definition of marketing includes meeting consumer demands and building stronger relationships with them. Although there has been a move to new and developing types of communication, such as interactive electronic media, traditional marketing is still quite significant. The importance of branding to businesses, organizations, and even people has increased recently. Everywhere and a part of everyday life, brands help consumers distinguish between identical businesses and perceive value. The secret to luring clients to a particular lifestyle and to a particular brand is emotional attachment. In recent years, lifestyle branding has grown in popularity. In the end, it's about promoting a way of life and providing the target audience with significant societal benefits. Even though they may try to convey it, not all brands can be lifestyle brands. It's important to keep in mind the distinction between something being a part of life and something being the way of life when working to develop a lifestyle brand. Currently, Nike is the most successful sportswear brand worldwide. The business has succeeded in developing a distinct, captivating, and adaptable brand that has earned a place in the hearts of consumers. Nike's ultimate objective is to provide cutting-edge items to everyone by improving performance, lowering injury rates, and bolstering perception and feel. But Nike is much more than a clothing manufacturer. Nike is the ideal lifestyle brand that represents living an active lifestyle and constantly pushing the envelope.

Evaluation on the Connection between Lifestyle Branding and Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is also another cast of marketing strategy that also allows influencing the customers in order to increase thebrand value among the different business markets. Along with this lifestyle, branding is described as the process where brands are used to inspire people in order to fulfill the marketplace's purpose.With help of developing an aim, the researcher can be able to accomplish the target of the research project. The elements of lifestyle branding are used in order to increase existing brand awareness. Lifestyle branding mainly involves products that are used for daily purposes and in order to increase the brand popularity of such products the company chooses to perform the influencer marketing strategy.

Changes in Lifestyle Advertising During and After COVID-19 Pandemic Period

Lifestyle allows marketers to access detailed personal information about consumers, presents images they can identify with through brands, and appeals to consumers by presenting similar or different lifestyles. The study presents conceptual information on lifestyle marketing and advertising through a literature review and content analysis for lifestyle advertisements during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. This research aimed to examine the changing lifestyle advertising understanding during and after the Covid-19 pandemic period using the content analysis method. It is concluded in the research that advertisements during the pandemic period revealed lifestyles that offer values and role models for consumers to put into practice, as stated in the social learning theory. On the other hand, during the post-pandemic period, the dynamics have changed commercially, with advertisers concentrating on messages imposing that the pandemic was overcome. In the advertisements of the pandemic period, lifestyles such as e-socialization, family relations, working from home, e-consumption, and messages such as hope, spiritual belief, and healthy life were conveyed to consumers. In the post-pandemic period, the lifestyles proposed in the advertisements comprise family relations, fashion, working from home, loneliness, e-socialization, e-consumption, leisure activities, and digitalizing. In addition, the messages given include success, hope, nostalgia, and beliefs.

Brief Analysis to Advantages and Problems of Atour’s Develoment

The Chinese hotel and lifestyle brand Atour boosts its development in recent years and can also be considered as a leader of Chinese hotel industry with characteristic ideas. Thus, the author finds it greatly meaningful to do some research, attempting to offer several points for potential progress. This article analyses the advantages of Atour in terms of its jointly-design products and individual hotels, the significance of the fourth space as well as the humane services, which could be considered as the long comings belong to this group. However, Atour is also faced with various problems like price, decoration and staff quality. Based on the analysis of these advantages and problems, suggestions for promoting Atour’s further development are provided as well. In general, the author holds such an expectation that Atour could seize opportunities in this era of experience economy, keep on enhancing itself and manages to attain further achievements, contributing to the going-up of Chinese hospitality industry.

The Everything Cult: Multiphrenic Faith and the QAnon Movement

Abstract This article undertakes an analysis of QAnon marketing and metaphysics through a holistic lens of mediatization theory and medium theory. It proposes a means of understanding the movement as an example of mediatization in the sense of a social environment in which behavior comes to resemble the logic of the media, and mediatization in the sense of an institution—that is, the Q movement as a media entity operating as a social agent in the world at large. It will be argued that the specific character of these mediatizations comes about partly—and perhaps largely—as a consequence of the technical affordances of key digital platforms through which QAnon conspiracy culture spreads. The marketing of the QAnon faith-brand is both strategic and decentralized. It comes about as both the result of conscious planning by key figures within the movement and the emergent consequence of countless would-be marketers’ efforts (both true believers and cynics). The speed, anonymity, and ephemerality of the 8chan and 8kun imageboards favor the cryptic, rapid-fire messages which characterized Q’s writing. The collective anonymity and anonymous collectivity fostered by the design and engineering of online messageboards like 8chan and 8kun (Zeng & Schäfer, 2021) likewise fostered a social environment of mass anonymous exegesis. Simultaneously, the entrepreneurial design and engineering (and ideology) of social media platforms intersect with this anonymous collectivity to produce a class of “Q-fluencers,” individuals who market the QAnon conspiracy theory, its politics and metaphysics, as a lifestyle brand—and who market themselves as Q-based brand-personalities. Through this analysis, this article aims to shed light on the socio-technical conditions out of which Q arose and to critique the assumptions of digital ideology which produce technologies and use-behaviors amenable to extremist swindles such as QAnon.

TAPESTRY: A Strategic Management Case Study

This is a secondary source case that describes in detail the firm Tapestry, the first New York-based house of modern luxury lifestyle brands with a portfolio including Coach New York, Stuart Weitzman, and Kate Spade New York. Each brand has its own unique character and personality yet operates independently while maintaining a collective commitment towards authenticity, inclusivity, and approachability. The multinational company’s creative and consumer-driven view of luxury is characterized by its innovative products and differentiated customer experience across value chain channels. The case opens with an introduction to the firm, including its three main strategic business units (SBU’s), and then discusses the firm’s vision/mission/objectives, the generic strategy of the firm and its SBU’s, its external environment (P.E.S.T. and industry analyses), its internal operations (V.R.I.O. framework and analysis), culminating in a S.W.O.T. breakdown. Results of the S.W.O.T. analysis include considerations of realigning the firm’s mission, strategy and structure with its external environment so as to leverage perceived opportunities using the firm’s distinctive competencies.

라이프스타일 호텔의 디자인 특성에 관한 연구 - 어퍼 업스케일, 업스케일, 그리고 어퍼 미드스케일 라이프스타일 호텔을 중심으로 -

With the change in modern consumption culture, the market share of boutique hotels that provide differentiated designs and services has increased, unlike global chain hotels, which have also provided standardized facilities and services in the hotel industry. Recognized by this change, the global hotel chain will create a lifestyle hotel brand that combines the characteristics of boutique hotels with a standardized operating system. This research aims to examine how the design characteristics of existing boutique hotels are strategically applied to lifestyle hotels by limiting the scope of research to upscale and midscale lifestyle hotels that occupy highly competitive mid-market. First of all, we will look at the background and definition of the emergence of lifestyle hotels, the current status and trend of lifestyle hotels, and target customers. In addition, how the design characteristics of boutique hotels derived from previous studies, such as playfulness, narrative, diversity, locality, and fluidity, were applied in each lifestyle brand, was investigated. As a result, hotel brands that consider the younger generation as their target customers show high play and diversity, and locality is high in hotel brands that value experience. Epicuality is linked to the designer

Selling Yoga ‘Off the Mat’: A 10-year Analysis of Lifestyle Advertorials in Yoga Journal Magazine

Scholars have critiqued popular media representations of yoga as largely emphasizing thin, white, upper-class female practitioners donning expensive apparel and accessories, exemplifying many aspects of a commercialized and objectified fitness culture and lifestyle brand. However, there is a dearth of research that has investigated the promotional content in popular magazines such as Yoga Journal; for example, no study to date has examined advertorials in yoga lifestyle magazines. Using framing theory, this study reports on a content analysis of advertorials across 10 years (2008–2017) of Yoga Journal magazine and found that products such as health supplements, herbal remedies and lifestyle brands like clothes and shoes were most often featured across the decade. The most common format was a regular feature, entitled “Off the Mat,” which promotes yoga lifestyle products identified by the magazine as “our partners.” This study also found that yoga-related products and female practitioners were the most common image categories displayed in advertorials. As the use and reach of advertorials increase, in the form of native ads in digital media, this study discusses the implications for the continued commodification of yoga and the role of advertorials in print magazines.

Branding Exclusion in White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch

Abstract: The clothing and lifestyle brand Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) quickly rose to prominence in the 1990s by recrafting a brand based on elitism, exclusion, and bodily perfection. This Advertising in Popular Culture discussion brings together diversity, equity, and inclusion experts to discuss A&F’s history of discrimination as it is detailed in the 2022 Netflix documentary White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch . In addition to covering the general details of A&F’s meteoric rise and sudden fall, the panelists focus on the following topics: A&F’s branding strategy and why it worked at a particular moment in American history; the racism, sexism, homophobia, and classism built into A&F’s business model and casting/hiring choices; A&F’s failed attempts to correct its diversity, equity, and inclusion problems; how diversity can be used to sell products; and how the documentary could be used in the classroom.

Modernity, beauty and the Swedish “way of life”: lifestyle marketing in Stomatol toothpaste advertisements, 1910–1940

PurposeThis paper aims to challenge the assumption that brands of everyday products have only used lifestyle marketing in the past 30 years by conducting the first case study of the marketing practices of the Swedish toothpaste brand Stomatol (1910–1940). Through visual social semiotic analysis, it explores how the brand was a pioneer in lifestyle marketing, using discourses of modernity, beauty and the Swedish “way of life” to sell its toothpaste.Design/methodology/approachTwo hundred Stomatol advertisements were collected from the Swedish Historical Newspaper Archive and analysed using visual social semiotics. The analysis considers how the idea of a cultural Swedishness centred around modernity and beauty developed between 1910 and 1940, and how both linguistic and semiotic resources were used to make these claims seem credible.FindingsAt a time when its main adversaries were capitalising upon science in their advertisements to construct authority and credibility, Stomatol instead targeted lifestyle. Modernity, beauty and the Swedish “way of life” were central themes of their marketing campaigns, yet the way these themes were articulated varied between 1910 and 1940 in accordance with changing popular discourse. This made Stomatol more competitive than other toothpaste brands because it was able to sell an experience rather than a product, turning it into Sweden’s most popular toothpaste.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates the importance of case studies to challenge the assumption that toothpaste brands have only used lifestyle marketing in the past 30 years (a claim based on Anglocentrism). It also showcases the need to further investigate non-Anglo countries when conducting research into lifestyle marketing to build a more nuanced perspective on its origins and the supposed novelty of (largely) US practices. Thus, Stomatol makes an important case for Sweden as a trailblazer in lifestyle marketing.

소비자의 패션감성/취향이 라이프스타일숍 선호도에 미치는 영향과 감각적 체험요소가 온라인 라이프스타일 제품구매 의도에 미치는 영향 ╶ 한국형과 유럽형 라이프스타일숍을 중심으로╶

This study aims to investigate the shopping behavior of lifestyle shops, and to examine the effects of various consumers' fashion sensibilities and tastes on the preferences of lifestyle brand shops launched in Europe and Korea. In addition, it was attempted to observe whether the sensibility experience factors of consumers in the on/offline lifestyle shop store influence the intention to purchase products of online shopping shops. The research method was a questionnaire method, for female consumers aged 20s to 30s those who have an experience in purchasing a lifestyle shop, collecting data on mobile and online by convenience sampling, and conducting statistical analysis. As a result, respondents showed that the most preferred shop was IKEA in lifestyle shop preferences, Most of consumers first looked at things offline, and mostly bought online, called “showroomig”. Second, we realized that ethnic taste had a significant negative influence on the preference of European lifestyle shops, while Korean & romantic taste and mass sense had a positive effect. Third, sensibility experience factors such as “safety of shopping due to fear of corona”, “easy exchange and refund”, “happy feeling of receiving a gift during delivery”, and “free shipping charge” are significantly positive in product purchase intentions at online lifestyle shops. Among the factors, the stability of shopping has the greatest impact on the purchase intention. In addition, the most important factor influencing the repurchase intention of an online lifestyle shop is the “purchase review”. The findings was significant in proposing product planning and VMD strategies that could appeal to Korean consumers in terms of marketing, considering the competition of domestic brands with global SPA lifestyleshop brands.

Digital asset management at Lands’ End, Inc.: Past experiences, present challenges and future opportunities

Lands’ End, Inc. is a leading uni-channel retailer of casual clothing, accessories, footwear and home products. Products are offered online, on third-party online marketplaces, and through retail locations. Lands’ End is a classic lifestyle brand with a passion for quality, legendary service and real value, and seeks to deliver timeless style for men, women, kids and the home. To remain highly competitive in the global retail marketplace, the company’s leadership recognised that a major enterprise digital asset management system upgrade was necessary to continue to service the company’s valued customers and enable ongoing and expanding business opportunities. This paper summarises the journey of experiences, challenges and change management tactics required to implement a new enterprise system, and how the new system is laying a foundation for future opportunities and successes.

Patriotism as a Lifestyle (Brand)

As noted by historian Cecilia O’Leary (1999), there has long been an “ethically questionable but mutually beneficial alliance between commerce and patriotism” in the US (p. 16). This can be seen, for example, in advertisements promoting sales around “patriotic holidays” such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day. Veterans have long played a role in this alliance by using their veteran status to promote themselves and their own companies, playing to the patriotic impulses of civilians. This article focuses on a more recent development in this alliance, that of “lifestyle brands” founded by US military veterans which target other veterans, their families, and people who claim to support veterans and the military. Like other lifestyle brands, these veteran-owned companies attempt to embody the attitudes and values of their founders and customers. Specifically, this article examines the products, packaging, advertising copy, and other relevant marketing materials of Grunt Style (apparel) and Black Rifle Coffee Company (coffee and related branding merchandise), both founded by US Army veterans. These veteran-owned companies use their founders’ veteran status as part of marketing and branding strategies that emphasize the companies’, and therefore their customers’, patriotism, and in doing so reveal how they understand contemporary American patriotism.