Sustainable or greenwash?

: an analysis of how fast fashion brands use social media marketing

Abstract

This thesis examines how fast fashion brands use Social Media Marketing to promote their sustainable initiatives. Drawing on a content analysis study, Instagram posts of a sample of four fast fashion brands were analyzed. The findings from this thesis suggest that there is a high level of evidence of greenwashing in all mentioned brands, mainly regarding vagueness of green communication. A survey was also conducted as a support to understand how consumers perceive the brands’ CSR advertising on social media. The results indicate that the participants had a potential change of perception after seeing the posts, perceiving the brands as more eco-friendly. However, they still agree that the green communication used in the posts was broad and misleading. By providing insights on how brands’ use recent digital platforms to promote their sustainable communication, the present study enriches the theoretical understanding on CSR advertising and greenwashing in the fast fashion industry. Additionally, it also gives managerial recommendations for the brands to have a more effective communication and raise societal awareness so consumers can identify signs of greenwashing on social media.

Date of Award	28 Jun 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Marta Bicho (Supervisor)