Brand attributes and personal values that shape millennials’ legitimacy judgements of clothing brands amid a global crisis

Abstract

This study was conducted in South Africa, amid the COVID-19 pandemic when many clothing retail stores were closing, resulting in many retrenchments which exacerbated the high unemployment rate and reduced the industry’s contribution to an already pressurised economy. This study aimed to investigate Millennials’ beliefs about clothing brands’ appropriateness, ethical worthiness and potential to support self-worth - the so-called legitimacy of the brands - arguing that this cohort, based on considerable market size and particular interest in clothing, significantly influences brands’ survival in the marketplace. The study argued that to remain relevant, retailers have to understand the underlying motives that fundamentally influence millennial’s brand legitimacy judgements to develop agile brand strategies that will “stand the test of time.” Anchored in Schwartz's ten-value typology (2012), the study implemented a mixed methods Means-End Chain (MEC) approach, incorporating a triple-stage Delphi technique, followed by an online focus group discussion, involving 50 and 10 participants, respectively. Data were analysed qualitatively, firstly uncovering the preferred brand attributes and related consequences that millennials anticipated to derive from preferred clothing brands. This guided the content design of the quantitative phase of the MEC procedure, where an online survey questionnaire was completed by 350 millennials. Using MEC’s series of hierarchical value maps, ‘hedonism’ and ‘security’ emerged as predominant personal values - per Schwartz’s (1994) value continuum. Clothing brands that are perceived as legitimate (pragmatically, morally, and cognitively), would therefore be those that instigate feelings/emotions of pleasure and harmony within the individual as well as the groups that they associate with. This study contributes to literature, by identifying the predominant values that direct millennials legitimacy judgements of clothing brands amid a crisis period, which is a time when core values are highly prevalent, and consumers are more cautious and less inclined to splurge and be reckless. The findings - most prevalent values - are then translated in terms of more tangible brand attributes that could guide retailers’ brand strategies. Future research could focus on other market contexts, explore gender and income differences, and even refinement within the millennial age category depending on retailers’ regard for particular market segments.