This study empirically analyzed the influence of fashion brands’ marketing issues on actual sales and consumer preference—focusing on evaluation trends of brands over time by using the theoretical background and big data provided through literature. This study examined the influence of three fashion brands (Balenciaga, Vetements, and Off-White) that have recently seen a drastic increase in the number of searched volumes through social networks. To identify the consumer-brand evaluations and trends and the marketing issues, the time period was divided into Groups A and B, which are from 2014 to 2015 and from 2016 to 2017, respectively. This study analyzed the frequency of overlapping keywords by using the R program to graphically visualize the changes over the timeline. Specifically, this analysis extracted data mainly related to bags, wallets and accessories for 2014-2015, but in 2016-2017, all four brands saw a vast increase in the frequency of searching product keywords related to clothing and footwear, and newly extracted ones were the top keywords. When analyzing the big data with these keywords as indicators, I confirmed that the products related to bags, wallets, and accessories were shifted to those related to apparel and footwear. Consumers previously recognized luxury brands such as Balenciaga as accessoriesoriented brands that were focused on handbags and sunglasses, but now they are gaining popularity and recognition among consumers as a fashion brand.

economic growth and revenue / profit expansion, we will end up with overconsumption and wastes, bringing serious damage to our planet (Kotler, 2015). He advocated the transition from the growth-oriented economy to the steady-state economy. This research explores marketing in such steady-state economy. Researchers have put efforts in developing theories in related concepts such as social marketing (e.g., Kotler & Zaltman, 1971) and corporate social responsibility (CSR; see Peloza & Shang, 2011 for a review). Inoue and Kent (2014) developed a conceptual framework that explains antecedents and consequences of corporate social marketing. However, their research, as well as those on CSR, has not addressed marketing in steady-state economy. Thus, we attempt to fill this research gap by developing propositions. We conducted multiple case studies (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin 2014). Based on theoretical sampling, three firms were selected from different industries (food, alcohol, and furniture) with different technologies, located in different areas in Japan (Tokyo, Nagano, and Kagoshima). We collected primary and secondary data, and conducted interviews. In spite of the differences, the three firms run business similarly. First, they pursue a sustainable growth and not a rapid growth. Second, doing what is good for society is a part of their business goal and not CSR. Finally, they choose inefficiency than lowering the product quality.economy are developed: P1. Selling high quality products at profitable but reasonable price enhances firm’s credibility, which in turn improves the probability of firm’s long-term survival. P2. Limiting distribution channel allows firm to avoid price competition and set reasonable pricing, which in turn improves the probability of firm’s long-term survival. P3. Marketing mix of high quality product, reasonable pricing, and limited distribution channel generates positive word-of-mouth, allowing firm to save promotion costs. P4. Prosocial behavior in procurement increases the brand loyalty, which in turn improves the probability of firm’s long-term survival. P5. Portfolio of business-to-business and business-to-consumers businesses allows stable management and building strong brand. Further research is needed to develop these propositions into hypotheses and empirically test them with large samples. The authors hope that this research will be the first step for “steadiness-oriented marketing.”

While the necessity of closing the marketing capabilities gap is an important issue, little is known about the mechanisms that enable firms create and refine marketing capabilities to market new products. Although it is suggested that market knowledge enables firms to create and refine marketing capabilities, little is known about why some firms are better at generating market knowledge or the extent market knowledge development impacts marketing capabilities. We advance the literature by showing that the development of market knowledge through internal processes is not sole or main foundation, external ties are also required to facilitate closing the marketing capabilities gap. Building on the literature on organizational ambidexterity, relational governance, and positional advantages, we examine the extent that external ties facilitate the effect of the firm’s market knowledge development processes (MKD) on exploratory and exploitative marketing capabilities. We use the positional advantage principle (Day & Wensley, 1988) to uncover the path that exploratory and exploitative marketing capabilities drive new product success through. Data from a sample of 169 industrial firms using a multi-informant design shows that the interplay between MKD and external ties provide the foundation to build exploratory and exploitative marketing capabilities to successfully market new products. Given the differences in the nature (e.g., goal convergence, longevity) and knowledge embedded in business and political ties, we draw attention to the different impacts that business and political ties have in helping to build exploratory and exploitative marketing capabilities. Our findings reveal that business ties promote the positive effect of MKD on exploitative marketing, indicating that business ties promote a firm’s capacity to improve its existing marketing routines. Political ties, however, enhance the positive effect of MKD on exploratory marketing, indicating that political ties provide support required to create new marketing initiatives (e.g., new distribution channel). Further, we show that distinct positional advantages, differentiation and cost efficiency, help explain how exploratory and exploitative marketing capabilities may be more or less effective in driving new product success. Our results suggest that while both new product differentiation and cost efficiency are significant drivers of NPP, their antecedents are different. Hence, achieving fit between the preferred positional advantage(s) and the type of marketing capabilities represents a critical determinant of new product success.

Launched in 2008 and 2010 respectively, Instagram and Pinterest are two of the fasted growing social media platforms with 220 million users combined (Leverage 2014, Techcrunch 2014, Loren & Swiderski 2012). Their success is due to their simplicity and a focus on visuals rather than text, furthermore they are described as platforms with strategic potential for fashion brands (Wired 2012). Despite this, many fashion brands have been slow to engage with them. However the Huffington Post (2012) suggests that the visual social media has a wide appeal with respect to both brand positioning and increasing awareness. Recent research by Mashable (2014) highlights that referral traffic and spend is higher from Pinterest users than Facebook users, and this contributes to the rationale for study. The aim of this reseach is twofold, firstly it is to explore the reasons for the utilisation of visual social media platforms within a fashion brands marketing planning cycle, and second it seeks to identify the strategic and operational ways in which fashion brands can use them. For the purpose of this paper only Instagram and Pinterest are investigated. Using a qualitative and inductive approach, the study will use in-depth elite interviews with 6 UK fashion brands (2 Luxury, 2 mid-market, 2 value) alongside content analysis of their platforms. This will enable the research to also consider how each platform can be harnessed at different levels of the market therefore contributing to the lack of empirical applied research in this area.

Purpose: North Korea is a very close country geographically and culturally, but the nation has been one of the most secretive countries in the world. However, in recent years, North Korean society has been known to rapidly change its economic environment as well as its diplomatic and political environment. Since the gaining power of Jong-un, Kim in 2012, the North Korean government has implemented a new set of economic policies. North Korea has embraced limited market systems and mechanisms that have become a part of the formal planned economy. This study is concerned with the recent changes in the market and marketing activities of the communist country. It also seeks to gain an understanding of the changing market behavior of North Korean consumers. The purpose of this study is to enhance understanding of the market environments of North Korea and to provide appropriate implications for practitioners and researchers. Research design, data and methodology: Academic access to information that can understand North Korea's reality is minimal. Therefore, this study was conducted based on a qualitative analysis of secondary data. The existing literature on North Korea, related news and reports were the basis of the analysis. Analysis of secondary data related to North Korea was the main methodology of the study. Results: The official ideology of North Korea rejected most aspects of marketing, and yet there were marketing activities in North Korea. This article focuses on the development of market and marketing activities in North Korea during the recent years. This study indirectly confirmed that the market function is being activated in North Korea, and the basic functions of marketing such as advertisement, price, and distribution are being formed. In this process, the activation of the ‘Jangmadang(market)’ played a significant role. Conclusions: Research shows that North Korea is rapidly developing its own market function. In addition, marketing activities such as advertising and pricing strategies seem to be unprecedentedly active. However, due to changes in the political environment, the future development of North Korea's marketing is still in flux. Efforts to improve mutual understanding through continuous research are required.

본 연구에서는 브랜드 스토리텔링을 이용한 마케팅 사례조사를 통해 브랜드 스토리텔링 기법의 마케팅효과를 확인하고 여러 사례의 스토리텔링기법을 통해 브랜드 전략의 한 요소로서 브랜드 스토리텔링기법의 중요성을 알아보고자 하였다. 현재 마케팅에서 스토리텔링은 상품과 브랜드에 생명력을 심어주는 차원에서 마케팅의 중요한 요소가 되었다. 과거와 달리 현대의 소비자들은 단순히 품질이 좋은 제품만을 찾는 것이 아니라, 공감하고 감성을 나눌 수 있는 감성적 측면에서 브랜드를 선호하며, 더 나아가 이야기가 있고 공감을 줄 수 있는 브랜드에 흥미를 보이기 때문에 이제 스토리텔링은 단순히 하나의 마케팅 방법이 아니라 마케팅 전략의 필수요소가 되었다고 할 수 있다. 스토리텔링을 이용한 브랜드 마케팅 전략이 소비자들에게 신선하고 새로운 즐거움을 주며 소비자들의 브랜드접근성을 높여준다는 차원에서 스토리텔링 브랜드 마케팅에 간한 연구는 가치 있다고 판단된다. 따라서, 본 연구는 브랜드 스토리텔링 관한 연구의 기초를 제공한다는 차원에서 의의가 있다.