KOREASCHOLAR

This study assessed the effectiveness of brand image communication on consumer perceptions of cruelty-free fashion brands. Brand messaging data were gathered from postings on the official Instagram accounts of three cruelty-free fashion brands and consumer perception data were gathered from Tweets containing keywords related to each brand. Web crawling and natural language processing were performed using Python and sentiment analysis was conducted using the BERT model. By analyzing Instagram content from Stella McCartney, Patagonia, and Freitag from their inception until 2021, this study found these brands all emphasize environmental aspects but with differing focuses: Stella McCartney on ecological conservation, Patagonia on an active outdoor image, and Freitag on upcycled products. Keyword analysis further indicated consumers perceive these brands in line with their brand messaging: Stella McCartney as high-end and eco-friendly, Patagonia as active and environmentally conscious, and Freitag as centered on recycling. Results based on the assessment of the alignment between brand-driven images and consumer-perceived images and the sentiment evaluation of the brand confirmed the outcomes of brand communication performance. The study revealed a correlation between brand image and positive consumer evaluations, indicating that higher alignment of ethical values leads to more positive consumer assessments. Given that consumers tend to prioritize search keywords over brand concepts, it’s important for brands to focus on using visual imagery and promotions to effectively convey brand communication information. These findings highlight the importance of brand communication by emphasizing the connection between ethical brand images and consumer perceptions.

I. Introduction
Ⅱ. Theoretical Background
    1. Concept and previous research on cruelty-free fashion
    2. Ethical fashion brand communication
Ⅲ. Method
    1. Selection of brands for analysis
    2. Data analysis
Ⅳ. Results
    1. The brand-driven image of cruelty-free fashion brands
    2. The consumer perceived image of cruelty-free fashion brands
    3. Communication evaluation through brand image consistency and sentiment analysis
Ⅴ. Conclusion
References

• Yeong-Hyeon Choi(Post-Doctoral Researcher, Center for Data Information, National Institute of Green Technology, Korea) | 최영현 (국가녹색기술연구소 데이터정보센터 박사후연구원)
• Sangyung Lee(Post-Doctoral Researcher, Center for Data Information, National Institute of Green Technology, Korea) | 이상영 (국가녹색기술연구소 데이터정보센터 박사후연구원) Corresponding author