How Small Brands Survive the Social Media Firestorm Through Culture Heritage: A Case Study of Irish Fashion Microblogging

Abstract

With the rise of social media, brand communication has undergone tremendous changes. In particular, small brands have been affected severely. Given this, this study investigated strategies for how small brands can survive in the digital age using a case study of Louise Kennedy, a representative Irish fashion designer brand. After examining a total of 2,899 tweets, the study finds a strategic mechanism for heritage branding on social media, and confirms the important role of cultural heritage in the success of small brands. As a result, the study extends prior studies on heritage branding to fashion marketing on social media. Also, it provides actionable insights for small brands to survive the social media firestorm.