Representation of ethnic diversity in online advertising images of fashion brands (2010-2019)

Abstract

The following research is conducted on how ethnic and cultural diversity is used as a branding strategy in online communication images of fashion brands, how is it exploited in the creation and selling of clothing products, and how it may relate to the brands’ corporate identity. The research is grounded on a qualitative content analysis method that analyzed a total of 50 images posted in social media platforms or corporate websites of several global fashion brands. The motivation behind this research is the fact that the use of cultural diversity and racialized minorities in advertising images as a branding tool is bringing the attention away from major political and social issues, such as discrimination based on ethnicity and cultural appropriation, in favor of some neoliberal brands that build a superficial, ungrounded discourse of social engagement in order to profit. Is a brand promoting equality more than another because it shows cultural diversity in its advertisements? Is it portraying ethnic minorities the way they should be depicted, that is, true to their cultural values and own identities? The strategies used to represent values of ethnic and cultural equality, diversity and inclusion in advertising are sometimes poorly researched, misused, overused, and blend in a pool of brands whose discourses often draw upon tokenism or cultural appropriation, among other techniques that damage the social identity of ethnic minorities. Research found that the choice of main character for online images of fashion brands, as well as techniques to sell narratives and lifestyles through fashion products, were the most common and relevant features in online fashion advertising. It also found that the fashion industry has evolved in terms of inclusion of non-White models, and it is learning to present ethnically diverse models without perpetuating unequal relations of power that favor their White counterparts. Lastly, forms of cultural appropriation in both clothing goods and brands’ communication materials are still used frequently, although there is also a growing trend of cultural appreciation that shifts away from the White hegemonic cultural norm, and contributes to make other ethnicities and cultures visible in contemporary consumer culture.