Digital marketing & Programmatic advertising : A quantitative study on fashion companies' strategy and  their impact on consumers

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine how consumers perceive and are influenced by fashion companies' digital marketing, particularly programmatic advertising. The focus is on perceived relevance and the impact on purchasing decisions, using Aim’n and Relode as case examples. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study employs a quantitative approach with elements of mixed-methods to investigate how two fashion brands, Aim’n and Relode, use digital marketing and how consumers perceive and are influenced by it, in relation to programmatic advertising. A deductive approach is applied, testing existing theories against collected data. The primary data source is a digital survey targeting 100 consumers who have interacted with the two brands. The study explores perceived relevance, engagement, and the impact of digital advertising on purchasing decisions. Findings: The study finds that digital marketing, especially programmatic advertising, positively influences consumer attitudes and purchase intentions when ads are perceived as relevant. However, final purchase decisions are still strongly affected by price and product clarity. Gender and age differences were identified. Women and younger consumers were more influenced by ads, particularly on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Privacy concerns remain a key challenge, highlighting the importance of transparency in data usage. Limitations/implications: The study's findings are limited by a small, demographically narrow sample and a focus on two specific fashion brands, which may affect generalizability. Conducted at a single point in time, it does not account for evolving changes over time. While centered on programmatic advertising, the analysis emphasizes consumer perception rather than company practices. The results show that age, gender, and relevance influence digital purchasing behavior more than design, highlighting the need for updated models. Practical implications: This study provides fashion companies with insights into how consumers perceive and respond to digital and programmatic advertising. It highlights strategies such as ad relevance, transparency, retargeting, and platform-specific marketing as effective tools to enhance digital presence, drive purchase decisions, and foster consumer engagement. Originality/value: This study explores consumer perceptions of programmatic advertising in the fashion industry. It contributes to digital marketing literature by integrating consumer attitudes, gender and age differences, and the role of perceived relevance, offering fresh insights into the complexities of online purchase behavior and the limitations of traditional models. The study provides valuable implications for marketers seeking to optimize their strategies. Keywords: Digital marketing, programmatic advertising, purchase intention, AIDA-model