Transcription
Men’s Fashion: Social Trends UpdateINSIGHT REPORT2017
ContentsCONTENTSExecutive Summary5Menswear Audiences & Communities7Products & Menswear Trends18Brands in the Menswear Territory23Recommendations31
ContextINTRODUCING MENSWEAR ON INSTAGRAMInstagram is often viewed as a female-centricsocial channel, crammed with images ofsunsets, shoes and latte art.However, this isn’t the case, at least in the UK:recent data has shown that 35% of men areactive users of the app, 13 percentage pointsup from the previous year.*Offline, the appetite for men’s fashion isgrowing quickly too. Data from Euromonitor**has projected that the UK menswear marketwill increase by 0.7% by 2020, whilewomenswear is set to shrink by 0.2%.With menswear content on Instagram reachinga potential audience of 144M in the UK,according to our findings in this report, thechannel stands out as a key place for brands toengage with trend-conscious men hungry forstyle inspiration.So how should brands approach this topic?*Based on GlobalWebIndex data comparing the proportion of UK males actively using Instagram in Q4 2016 vs. Q4 2015Men’sFashionTaster (2017)Report**Statisticfrom Euromonitor
ScopeMETHODOLOGYPeriod01/06/2016 – 31/05/2017ScopeUK content sourced through social listening software, based on key menswear hashtags:#mensfashion OR #menstyle OR #mensstyle OR #menswear OR #menwear OR #menwithstyle OR#thedapperhaus OR #mensfashionreport OR #mensfashionblogger OR #ootmen OR #menwithstreetstyleOR #dapper OR #mensfashionpostA manually coded sample of 1000 posts was used to compose key sections in the report (top menswearproducts, trends, authors and content format). All spam and irrelevant content was removed from thissample to achieve the most accurate analysis.Men’s Fashion Taster Report4
Summarising the Trends
Executive SummaryEXECUTIVE SUMMARYBuzz around men’s fashion grew during Spring and Winter, with the former accounting for 30% ofconversation. Sunday was the key day for consumers to capture their looks on Instagram.Menswear is enjoyed by a mostly urban audience. The top five UK cities accounted for two thirds ofall content, with London accounting for a huge 59%.The UK menswear territory on Instagram was split between two styles: formal fashion (e.g. suits) andstreet style. Formal wear was the more prominent trend, featuring in 33% of conversation; however,Slide not included in this previewsneakers made up 10% of the individual product share of voice. Printed t-shirts accounted for afurther 18%, followed by checked patterns (14%).The popularity of showcasing a full look meant that shirts and t-shirts were the most frequentlyfeatured products on Instagram. 47% of content visualized a full outfit, with selfies (8%) also helpingboost the presence of tops. Sneakers outperformed formal footwear, dominating both casual andsmart-casual styles.There was low brand penetration across content tagged with the top men’s fashion hashtags. Adidassuccessfully used athletes as brand ambassadors for their sportswear; however, organic conversationaround the brand was more centered around casual trainers.Men’s Fashion Taster Report6
When does Menswearconversation occur?
SeasonalitySPRING & WINTER ARE KEYSEASONS FOR MEN’SFASHION Men’s fashion was a leisure-centrictopic on Instagram, with contentbeing published largely outside ofworking hours: in the evening, andduring weekends. Sundays were the most popular timefor men to share their #ootd (‘outfitof the day’) photos on the channel.However, spikes in usage of thehashtag coincided with events: theweekend of London Fashion Week inSeptember saw the greatest numberof outfit photos posted. Weekends saw most fashion conversation, with Sundaysattracting the largest number of outfit postsSpring generated30% of allmensweardiscussion,including thegreatest volumeof buzz aroundsuits.On average, the cooler seasons ofSpring & Winter generated mostmenswear conversation. This was dueto the popularity of smarter styles(e.g. suits), which gained greatertraction than more casual outfits.*Men posting under the #ootd or #ootdmen hashtagsMen’s Fashion Taster Report8Consumers*talked mostabout men’sfashion between5pm – 7pm.
Menswear MomentsCONSUMERS TALK ABOUTMENSWEAR DURINGDOWNTIME Consumers were most active in sharingmenswear content outside of workinghours: 67% of all consumer posts aroundmen’s fashion occurred at this time.However, consumers posted moreduring the working day than the lunchperiod (26% vs. 6%). Similarly, brands were most prolificoutside of work, but they were also themost active group posting during theweekday lunchtime period. Brands madeup 60% of the content published at thistime. Influencers had the lowest proportion ofcontent posted during lunchtime orworking hours: 72% of this audience’sposts occurred outside of working hours.This may illustrate how fewer menswearinfluencers inhabit the full-timeprofessional level seen across thewomen’s fashion market, and may haveday jobs preventing posting.Men’s Fashion Taster ReportShare of Content by Audience & Time PeriodSlide not included in this previewBrandsLunchtime(week days)*ConsumersWorking hours(weekdays)InfluencersOutside work(weekends & nonworking hours)*Moments definitions: Lunchtime (12-2PM on weekdays), Working hours (9AM – 5PM on weekdays, excluding the 12-2PM window),Outside work (weekend days, 5PM – 9AM during weekdays)9
Who is talking about Menswearon Instagram?Men’s Fashion Taster Report10
DemographicsWOMEN DISCUSS MENSWEAR IN A PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTAs expected for the content territory, Men accounted for 90% of all those talking about menswear in the UK.Gender splitof Menswearcontent*Slide not included in this previewOf the women represented, almost a quarter were involved in the fashion or creative industries, and mainly used Instagram topromote their work. This was led by personal stylists (5%), contributing to #photography and #model ranking among the top eighthashtags used by female menswear posters. By contrast, few female consumers addressed the topic.*Based on a 48% sample of menswear conversation across the reporting period.Men’s Fashion Taster Report11
Top UK LocationsLONDON IS THE MOST TREND-FOCUSED CITYGlasgow1%London was overwhelmingly themenswear centre of the UK: 59%of all men’s fashion discussionoriginated from the city. This waspartly due to the number offashion professionals promotingtheir work, representing 9% of allgeolocated ndon1%59%BirminghamBlogger and sneaker enthusiast@kersxaw(21.2Kfollowers)boosted Manchester’s fashioncredentials. He posted more than150 photos showcasing his stylefrom the city.Men’s Fashion Taster Report2%Brighton1%CardiffBristol1%1%12
Fashion TribesFrom Mods during the 60s to 1990s Ravers, subcultureshave formed around fashion.Which menswear tribes are making their mark in 2017?
Fashion TribesFASHION TRIBES: DAPPER GENTS#dapper #dapperman #dandy #gentleman16% of themenswear territory16.1Mreach3.5Mengagements Dapper Gents are a diverse community of mencelebrating smart fashion, ranging from more suits &tailoring to contemporary takes on the style. These Instagrammers largely clustered around the#dapper hashtag, which featured in 13% of allmenswear content, and was the most accessible entrypoint to this community. More niche groups taggedcontent with #dandy (20% of the community),showcasing vintage-inspired and avant-garde clothing. More ostentatious members of the communityshowcased their style at the annual #pittiuomo in Italy.This attracted more than 2.1K mentions across themenswear territory. Influential members of this community includedYouTuber and TV personality @proudlock (679Kfollowers) and lifestyle & travel blogger julian blau(69.5K followers).Men’s Fashion Taster Report14
Fashion TribesFASHION TRIBES: STREET STYLE#streetstyle #streetwear #streetfashion15% of themenswear territory16.6Mreach3.2Mengagements Street Style enthusiasts regularly updatedfollowers on their outfits, tagging photos with#ootd and #ootmen. 28% of content from thiscommunity included these tags, with the 5-7pm(14%) and 12 – 2pm (12%) periods key momentsfor posting. Bloggers made up nearly a third of thiscommunity, although many of these wereamateur, less influential profiles, such as@levijeramiah (1.8K followers) explaining whythey accounted for just 27% of Street Stylereach. London was a popular location for thecommunity to capture their looks, with 38% ofStreet Style mentions tagging the city.Men’s Fashion Taster Report15
Fashion TribesFASHION TRIBES: LUXURY SEEKERS#luxury #luxurylife # luxurylifesyle #watch#premium #rolex #luxurywatch17% of themenswear territory27.9Mreach3.2Mengagements Luxury Seekers shared premium purchases onInstagram, with a particular focus on watches.18% of all content tagged with luxury alsofeatured a watch-related hashtag. 8%specifically referenced Rolex. Custom-made fashion items were seen as theultimate status symbol within this community:11% of content included the #bespoke hashtag,with shoes and tailoring being popularexpressions of this. Profiles within this segment had 73% greatercombined reach overall than Dapper Gents, dueto high brand penetration and popular luxuryorientated accounts like @luxallday (1.5Mfollowers).Men’s Fashion Taster Report16
Fashion TribesDAPPER GENTS TAKE THE LEAD IN LONDON, BUT STREET STYLERULES IN MANCHESTERvs.LondonManchesterManchester fashion fans were muchmore engaged with street style thanLondoners. Streetwear brands likePVNDA contributed to its popularity.15%21%41%43%19%32%17%Dapper GentsMen’s Fashion Taster Report12%Street StyleLuxury Seekers17Other audiences
Which menswear productsgenerate most buzz?Men’s Fashion Taster Report
Top Menswear ProductsTOPS & ACCESSORIES AREMOST SHOWCASED ONINSTAGRAM T-shirts & shirts were the most frequentlycaptured men’s fashion products onInstagram, appearing in 73% of the codedsample. This reflects the popularity of fulloutfit photos as a content format,accounting for nearly a third of mentions.Selfies (10%) posted by consumers alsoboosted the presence of shirts.Accessories were often featured inconnection with smart styles. 29% ofaccessories (e.g. ties, bags and hats) werementioned alongside suits. This productcategory was among the least representedin full-outfit shots, but was the secondmost visible in flat lays: 10% of allaccessories content was in the form of flatlays.10%Slide not included in this preview6%8%10%18%4%6%The outerwear category (17%) was mostlypresent in the form of blazers and suitjackets. Many of these images were inconnection with formalwear, the mostpopular style across Instagram menswearcontent.Men’s Fashion Taster Report17%22% 1%19
Top Menswear ProductsNIKE AND ADIDAS DOMINATE THE CASUAL FOOTWEAR CATEGORY17%10% Casual shoes made up a significantly larger share of voice then smart footwear, featuring in 10% vs. 4% of content. This wasa result of the popularity of streetwear. Nike and Adidas were the most frequently mentioned sneakers brands, appearing in 20% and 13%, respectively, of contenttagged with #sneakers. Mentions of Adidas were driven by the brand’s collaboration with Kanye West: 20% of Adidascontent referenced the Yeezy range. However, 74% of all Yeezy posts failed to reference Adidas at all, suggesting that theshoes have standalone recognition beyond the brand.Men’s Fashion Taster Report20
Content FormatsVisual content has neverbeen more important:research indicates thatseeinginformationconveyed visually resultsin 65% recall three dayslater vs. just 10% ifpeople hear it*.So how are the s visually?*Based on research from biologist John Medina, cited inBrain Rules
Content FormatsBRANDS SPOTLIGHT PRODUCTS RATHER THAN SHOWCASE HOLISTIC LOOKSSelfie – 1%Group Image – 1%Video – 1%Flat Lay – 1%Single Product Shot – 1%2%Video – 1%Consumers shared mostselfies, representing 82% ofthose posting in this format.Thisinvolvedeithershowcasing a single item or afull outfit through the use of aselfie stick or mirror.Selfies were less used bybrands and influencers, onal quality formats.Full OutfitPhoto2%SingleProductShot3%21%12%6%7%Full outfit photos were by farthe most widely sharedcontent format amongconsumers, accounting for56% of posts.InfluencersSlide not included in this previewSelfieSingleProductShot42%Share of Contentby Format utfitPhotoFlat Lay7%24%Selfie – 1%Group Image– 1%Video – 1%Men’s Fashion Taster ReportBrands frequently used singleproduct images to showcasespecific products in moredetail.22Flat lays introduced consumers tocurated product and outfitcombinations. Mostly posted bybrands, these appeal to usersseekingstylish,structuredimagery.*See glossary for explanation of each content format
How do brands communicateon Instagram?
Top Brands in the TerritoryLuxury Brands*EVENTS IMPACT LUXURYBRAND DISCUSSION 1.4KLuxury brand discussion was driven more bybrand activity and events compared to highstreet brands. Activations such as Burberry’sMakers House, a London events space wherethe public could view the brand’s newcollection following its catwalk show,contributed to a spike in conversation duringFebruary. The month saw nearly three timesmore Burberry conversation than themonthly average for the period.1.2K1K651Slide not included in this previewOverall, London Fashion Week had a bigimpact on Burberry’s footprint in themenswear territory: 25% of mentionsreferenced the events in February andSeptember. The September show introducedBurberry’s first ever directly purchasablecollection and was also its first combinedmen’s and women’s show, boosting mediaand influencer buzz – a post from@ukesquire promoting the Makers Housecampaign.492294280HUGO BOSS gained most traction with itsformal wear, including shirts and blazers,which was explicitly mentioned in 26% ofposts.195118*Not all brands are solely focused on menswearMen’s Fashion Taster Report24
Top Brands in the TerritoryHIGH STREET & MID-PRICEDRETAILERS PROMPT MOSTDAILY OUTFIT SHARINGHigh Street & Mid-Priced Brands*2.8K Streetwear characterised the top high streetmenswear retailers represented in theterritory: more than a third of combinedcontent featured the #streetstyle hashtag.1.9KThose wearing these brands were more likelythan luxury fashion fans to share their #ootdimages, with 41% capturing their outfitsunder the tag vs. 17% of consumers wearingproducts by the higher priced brands.Slide not included in this preview ASOS content was more retailer thanconsumer driven. 40% of conversationfeatured the #asosmarketplace hashtag, witha further 36% included #vintage, indicatingthat Marketplace sub-brands are particularlyactive at promoting their wares.508358Topman was an accessible street style brand,favoured by both consumers and fashionbloggers, who accounted for 28% of brandmentions.51*Not all brands are solely focused on menswearMen’s Fashion Taster Report251.7K
Top Brands in the TerritoryPRODUCT BUZZ GIVESADIDAS THE LEAD OVER NIKEActivewear Brands*2.4K Activewear brands attracted some of thegreatest buzz among consumers. More than athird of Adidas mentions were selfies ortagged with #ootd and #ootdmen, while 26%of Nike content featured these hashtags. Adidas attracted 8% more conversation thanNike. This may be due to buzz around Adidas’Yeezy collaboration with Kanye West, whichrepresented 20% of all brand mentions. Bycontrast, no Nike product stood out indiscussion. Sneakers were a hot topic for both brands,attracting mentions over other product lines.31% of Nike and Adidas content was taggedwith #sneakers, respectively.2.2KSlide not included in this preview*Not all brands are solely focused on menswearMen’s Fashion Taster Report26
Brand Spotlight on AdidasADIDAS OWNED CONTENT PROMOTES ATHLETICWEAR@Adidas (global account)15.1M Followers271 posts10%No mentions of the topmenswear hashtags*Slide not included in this preview Partnerships with sportspeople and athleticwear were the focusof Adidas’ global @Adidas Instagram channel. While the brandoperates several other accounts highlighting different segmentsof its business, the global handle remains the most visible go-toInstagram presence for the brand, boasting 15.1M followers.However, there was a slight disconnect between the focus of itsglobal account and the Adidas styles that consumers organicallyposted about, which tended to centre on its casualwear. This was visible across Adidas sneakers in particular, whichaccounted for 37% of organic conversation around the brand.Moreover, the most engaging owned post showcased classicSuperstar sneakers, sprayed with the colours of the LGBT flag,attracting over 153K Likes and 2K comments.*Hashtags detailed in the report scope (slide 4)Men’s Fashion Taster Report27
Brand Spotlight on AdidasENGAGING CONTENT FOCUSES ON INSPIRATION RATHER THAN PRODUCTCreativity Adidas’ frequently reaffirmed its creativity, messaging that hashelped place it 8th in the 2016 Coolbrands ranking. This mayalso increase its appeal with Millennials, who are the mostprominent* Adidas customer demographic. A third of the 100 most engaging** @Adidas Instagram postsused the word “create” in copy. A further 14% referenced the#heretocreate campaign, which showcased stories on howcreativity is redefining sport from athletes, influencers andbloggers. Brand messaging here focused on inspiringconsumers rather than driving customer conversions.Diversity in Sport*Specifically 25-39 year olds, according to YouGov survey data (2016)**Defined as posts attracting more than 3K combined Likes and commentsMen’s Fashion Taster Report28 Highlighting diversity in sports drove some of the greatestengagement around Adidas content. The second mostengaging post of the period, for example, celebrated LGBTdiversity (153.7K Likes) and prompted 83% more commentsthan the next most commented on post. Top content from the #heretocreate campaign, a phase ofwhich addressed female sportspeople, featured women. Thisincluded a female footballer, which was the 4th most engagingpost across the period, and another leveraging sportinfluencers @candaceparker(263K followers) and@allymisslove (38.6K followers).
Brand Spotlight on HUGO BOSSHUGO BOSS GAINS TRACTION ONLINE & OFFLINE@hugoboss (global account)2.4M Followers696 posts 17%No mentions of the topmenswear hashtags*6%8%HUGO BOSS was one of the most successful brandsrepresented on Instagram, both online and offline. As well asranking third among premiumSlidebrandsnotin includedmenswearconversation, it was also the most purchased brand by UKmale Instagrammers.*The brand focused on more formal fashion or eventphotography on its global Instagram channel (2.4M followers),which is split between men’s and women’s fashion, but biased18%towards the former. Only 11% of posts were in video format,significantly less than on Adidas’ account.HUGO BOSS featured the brand-specific hashtag #ThisIsBOSSin 60% of Instagram content. The hashtag was appropriated byconsumers in a small number of organic posts.*Hashtags detailed in the report scope (slide 4)**Based on GlobalWebIndex data: UK Male Instagram users, who had purchased an item from thebrand in the past 1-2 yearsMen’s Fashion Taster Report29in this preview10%6%
Brand Spotlight on HUGO BOSSHUGO BOSS STRATEGY IS INFLUENCER-CENTRICFull page content formatsInfluencersSlide not included in this preview More than half of the top most engaging posts* mentioned ortagged an influencer. Red Carpet shots accounted for many ofthe most successful of these, showcasing celebrities like actorMiles Teller in bespoke tuxedos. This highlighted thecraftsmanship and exclusive nature of the product,characteristics that appeal to the Luxury Seekers community onInstagram.However, a collaboration with blogger @iamgalla (2.1Mfollowers) also proved fruitful, attracting 61% more engagementcompared to the average number of Likes and comments forthe period. He featured in 27 @hugoboss posts overall.*Defined as posts attracting more than 10K combined Likes and commentsMen’s Fashion Taster Report30 HUGO BOSS experimented with full page content formats, withmixed results. It published mosaic-like partial or full images inseries of individual shots connected through outfits andbackgrounds. While this was distinctive, the strategy required the brand tocontinuously post more than one image to complete theoverall picture and images with only part of a completepicture were less successful in generating engagement.
Recommendations
RecommendationsRECOMMENDATIONSLeverage popular consumer hashtags such as #mensfashion and #menswear to increase thereach of owned content and attract new followers. This is particularly important for new oremerging menswear brands looking to grow awareness among consumers.Activate relevant sub-communities12%by using tribe-specific hashtags such as #streetstyle and#dapper. Appropriating consumers’ own language is vital for brands with a more specificcustomer profile. ThisSlidealso encouragestheseinsub-communitiesnot includedthis preview to create UGC featuring thebrand’s products, building advocacy.45%Brands should fully optimise their Instagram accounts, and take advantage of the latest42%platform functionality. For example, Instagram Stories provides rich and interactive ways forbrands to engage consumers, whether their existing followers or new ones via Story Ads. Thelatter also features a URL link for viewers to click through to a brand site or product page, anissue that has previously limited Instagram’s ROI for retailers.Men’s Fashion Taster Report32
InfluencersMENSWEAR INFLUENCERS TO ACTIVATEInfluencer NameUsernameDescriptionFollowersPostsTotal Reach*Inspirations Style@inspirations styleStyle Inspiration1.02M2293K#mensfashion #style #outfitOliver Proudlock@proudlockReality TV personality,Fashion, Fitness &Lifestyle679K151.47M#instafashion #mensfashion#mensstyle #madeinchelseaGent With StreetStyle@gentwithstreetstyleMen’s Street style439K2113K#mensfashion #dapper#dressforsuccessFashion Born@fashiobornFashion Magazine405K8491K#mensfashion #design #style#outfitRowan Row@rowanrow1.1M#menstyle #fashion#rowanrowCarl Cunard@carl cunardFashion Blogger254K17566K#mensfashion #ootd #styleJohn Melchino@blvckmvnivcFashion Brand CreativeDirector247K10159K#instafashion #instastyle#onpoint@dailywristwatchWatch Feed219K8268K#watchoftheday #luxurywatch#mensfashionSamuel r #blogger#lifestyleLouis-Nicolas Darbon@louisnicolasdarbonFashion fashionpostDaily Wrist WatchSlideFashionnotBloggerincluded in255Kthis preview41*Estimated reach based on all posts published within the category.Men’s Fashion Taster Report33Frequent Hashtags
Of the women represented, almost a quarter were involved in the fashion or creative industries, and mainly used Instagram to promote their work. This was led by personal stylists (5%), contributing to #photography and #model ranking among the top eight hashtags used by female menswear poster
