Cross‐national market segmentation in the fashion industry: A study of European, Korean, and US consumers

Abstract

Purpose

To discover whether there are market segments for the fashion industry that cut across countries and respond differently to advertising messages.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was administered to Korean, European, and US female consumers. Cluster analysis is used in an attempt to identify lifestyle segments that cut across cultures.

Findings

Four cross‐national market segments are identified. These segments can be labeled as follows: “information seekers,” “sensation seekers,” “utilitarian consumers,” and “conspicuous consumers.” Findings also reveal that fashion lifestyle segment had a stronger effect on the reaction to a set of three ads for a major global fashion company (one each from the French, Korean, and US editions of Vogue magazine) than did consumer nationality.

Practical implications

Findings suggest that it is viable and perhaps desirable for global marketers in the fashion industry to target cross‐national market segments as opposed to developing individual segmentation schemes for each country.

Originality/value

Relatively few studies examining the viability of cross‐national segmentation have been studies. The study provides insight on building global brand equity and suggests standardized advertising is appropriate for some fashion marketers.

Citation

Ko, E., Kim, E., Taylor, C.R., Hoon Kim, K. and Jeong Kang, I. (2007), "Cross‐national market segmentation in the fashion industry: A study of European, Korean, and US consumers", International Marketing Review, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 629-651. https://doi.org/10.1108/02651330710828022