O mercado das marcas de moda de luxo na contemporaneidade:

: as motivações de compra dos consumidores portugueses

Abstract

The luxury brand market, since the 1990s, has grown at a very fast pace. Since then, the concept of “consumer society” has been taking representative proportions of contemporary collectivity and economic evolution. Our society has been in a constant adaptation regarding the consumption of luxury goods and consequently the acquisition of luxury brands. Every minute a new (unknown) consumer need is born and this truly highlights and substantiates the continuous desire for consumption. Today, this consumer society seeks not only a product or service, but some notoriety, recognition and satisfaction as well. Consequently, brands adapt and start providing a more tailor-made product and service in order to create and develop their identity concept which therefore will be passed on to its audience, resulting in a more efficient and long-lasting communication. They tell a story that values them and sets them apart from the rest. In order to get some recognition, luxury brands improve and polish their positioning strategies for a continuous added value delivery, always in line with their identity. Understanding and developing luxury is the essence and purpose of this dissertation, which underlies a study composed of portuguese consumers of luxury fashion brands, through a quantitative methodology. A questionnaire survey was conducted, obtaining 203 responses. From this sample, it was understood that the perception of luxury brand products is related to the motivations associated with the level of product quality, exclusivity and brand awareness. The main motivations for purchase are not only directly related to the visual characteristics, but also to the whole surrounding and shopping experience. The results suggest that this environment includes the marketing materials and elements that accompany the product when purchasing it, the environment inside the store, the e-commerce platforms and its digital communication platforms. It is crucial, for any brand, to be attentive to changes and to convey ideas correctly to develop and maintain their loyal customer base. Acknowledging that social and economic factors influence effective consumption and trends, luxury brands must take in account their public, its needs and its behavioral changes so they can not only adapt but predict their medium/long-term behaviors.

Date of Award	23 Mar 2021
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	José Gabriel Andrade (Supervisor)