Gaining Millennial women’s support for a fashion show: Influence of fashion experiences, gender identity and cause-related Facebook appeals

The present research was designed to examine the effects of Millennial women’s past fashion experiences and gender identity on both online and offline support of a luxury fashion show from a cause-related social media perspective, while investigating the specific relative effects of manipulating the promotion of the fashion products and of the charitable cause. A Conditional Process Model proposed a direct effect of Millennial women’s history of fashion experiences on their online and offline support of a fashion show. Female gender identity was proposed as a mediator of this direct effect and the Facebook event page appeal (augmented cause versus augmented fashion) as the moderator. The participants were (N = 218) female Millennials at a Canadian university business school. Data collection was conducted online in two phases using Qualtrics. Gender identity was found to be an important predictor of online and offline support of a fashion show promoted on Facebook. It also significantly mediated any effect of Millennial women’s past fashion experiences on this event support. Also, compared to a normal product-oriented Facebook appeal, one that included an emotional link to the cause produced greater online and offline support for the fashion show and attracted a wider clientele. This unique online study of digitally savvy and socially conscious Millennial women can inform both fashion businesses and non-profit organizations of the mutual advantages of ensuring an adequate emphasis on the cause in their cause-related fashion marketing. It also brings to light the importance of addressing social media communication to characteristics of female gender identity.