Fashion brands hosted virtual workouts
Instagram plays an important role in building brand and business awareness (Shively, 2014).
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Instagram has become the preferred online platform for entertainment purposes only (Digital Commerce, 2020); with 40% used by people under the age of 35 (Kantar, 2020).
Based on “Consumer Attitude Report” by the Heuritech team, thus fashion brands and influencers have enhanced digital content and consumer exposure in a virtual environment to reap the benefits of the pandemic. This is a great opportunity for regular fashion consumers who cannot attend outside fashion events and activities. As a natural consequence, Instagram is more than ever a platform where consumers can express themselves freely and honestly (Heuritech, 2020).
In fact, though the share of posts featuring luxury fashion decreases by approximately 40%, the share of posts concerning Covid-19 increases. It might indicate a change in consumer attitudes from high-end content to more quarantine-themed content. Regarding how people altered their routine to express their life during the pandemic period, Mollard remarks that a lot of people shifted to home workouts (2021).
This is a notion that Instagram has had a major role in popularizing. As Mollard explains:
• Fashion brands hosted virtual workouts
• Fitness influencers started broadcasting daily exercises on their Instagram stories
According to Heuritech, more than a quarter of the Covid-19 posts are dedicated to fashion in various manners, including:
• Promoting an outfit
• Showcasing a fashion project
• Exhibiting one’s unique appearance
• Experimenting with DIYs
All in all, as Covid-19 has shifted consumer preferences in just a few months, their attitudes towards fashion appeared to be evolving in order to accommodate the industry’s evident changes.Instagram seems like the right platform to reflect on all the changes that have taken place during this time. As a result, consumers expect closer interaction with brands and influencers, while driving new trends such as exercising at home to stay healthy amid the pandemic.