«The Frase» Communication Strategy

Currently, trends are increasingly replacing each other, but there are certain common trigger categories. This is a topic of work that has already entered the working age of generation Z, certain subcultures. These triggers are influenced by the brand, based on current topics in the production of its products.

The Frase exists in the public space through several complementary channels.

The main resource is the website. It works as a showcase, editorial platform and as a place where the brand tells about itself. This format immediately sets the tone for all communication. It is also convenient to view all available collections and services through the website. Through short inserts throughout the pages, the audience can quickly read the brand’s positioning, values, and character.

The brand keeps in touch with its audience through social media. In them, they make announcements about new things, post photos of products, and collect customer reviews. In the media space, the brand keeps the same aesthetics as the prints on their clothes. All posts are limited to short, funny, catchy phrases. Briefly and to the point. This creates a shared readable image. The ironic humorous character is maintained.

As for PR strategies, there are several conscious approaches.

Uses and Gratifications Theory

The theory applies not only to the media. In a modern context, it also describes why people subscribe to brands, buy certain things, and return to certain communities.

Elaboration Likelihood Modely

The brand stands out from other clothing manufacturers with its clear positioning and style. Despite the minimalism and conciseness around the design, they were able to build good communication on one phrase and become recognizable in the media field. He managed to do this thanks to the application of several communication theories.

Analysis through the Uses and Gratifications theory.

The Frase covers several types of audience needs at once — identification, social. This explains its appeal: the audience gets several motives and reasons to interact with the brand.

One of the basic needs in theory is diversion, the desire to stand out from everyday life. The Frase closes it through a humorous approach. The brand satisfies the need for an easy discharge even before a person has bought something. His presentation in the media, prints on clothes, the image created around himself, in general, allows this to be done.

Bloomer and McQuail described the need for identity formation through the media. We compare ourselves with others, try on roles, and seek confirmation of who we are. The Fraser is partly built exactly on this mechanism. They produce special collections based on interests, specific areas, and topics. A person doesn’t just pick a design — they make a statement about themselves. When someone buys an item, they’re not merely getting dressed. They’re joining a community of people who share similar humor and cultural references.

At the moment, the brand has a huge number of thematic sections. In addition to different types of clothing, they structure it according to some common features. A separate section for zoomers, a section about the Devil wears prada (on the theme of the film’s release), a section for zoomers (on the trend of humor about this category of society). All this allows them to be multifaceted and attract the attention of many people.

The theory also encompasses the idea of customization. The audience can formulate their own phrase on their clothes. This is not the consumption of someone else’s content — it is the creation of your own, only in a material form.

The last one is curiosity about how others live. The Frase satisfies her through a catalog and reviews. The brand turns into a medium where people return to find their own kind.

Analysis through the Elaboration Likelihood Model theory.

The most interesting thing about this communication model is how the peripheral and central routes complement each other. A humorous phrase on a hoodie grabs attention peripherally, prompting a person to visit the website and see the option to customize it — which draws them in more seriously. Petty and Cacioppo noted that the peripheral route can serve as an entry point, after which the audience shifts to the central route — and that’s precisely what happens here. This constitutes an effective communication strategy for a brand.

The peripheral persuasion path is the dominant one in brand communication. No deep analysis, just an instant reaction. The brand uses several peripheral triggers at once.

1. The first is humor as an instant response. The emotional reaction has already occurred before the purchase, and it is positive. From this moment on, attention and sympathy for the brand are already being developed.
2. The second is social impact. Thematic lines work as a signal of belonging: It’s worn by people from a certain circle. Petty and Cacioppo described this trigger as one of the strongest on the peripheral route—we tend to trust what people like us are doing.

It is worth mentioning that one of the brand’s executives often serves as a photo model. Such involvement and demonstration of own products strengthens the relationship with the audience. People have confidence in the brand.

The central pathway is activated for an audience with higher engagement. Some of the audience goes deeper after the first contact, and here the brand offers a more detailed route. For example, there is a separate section for engagement through customization: a person thinks, chooses, and formulates their own phrase. This is no longer an impulse purchase, but a cognitive process with a personal investment. According to ELM, it is this kind of contact that forms a strong and stable attitude towards a brand — a person did not just buy an item, he became a co-author. The business division operates according to the same principle. The brand considers this and separates B2B into a distinct communication segment with its own persuasion logic.

Both theories can partially complement each other, as they are similar in many aspects. In general, they show how the brand affects the audience through its products and media presentation. Building an ironic unique image and its versatility, influencing triggers with short and precise slogans allows the brand to build a successful communication strategy.

The Frase has built a complete communication system: there is a recognizable language and philosophy. The Fraze’s communication strategy generally works: the brand has found a clear niche (ironic clothes for the working digital generation, businesses), has built a solid and unique visual and textual language. Formed a community around the product.

From the point of view of Uses and Gratifications, the brand simultaneously covers identification, social and entertainment needs. From the point of view of ELM, communication works on both levels.: quickly catch on through humor and hold on through meaning.

Communication strengths: — high degree of audience identification with the product; — builds trust; — customization as an engagement tool.

Nowdays the brand has a huge audience in Russia and, in our opinion, could gradually begin to expand to a foreign audience. In addition to phrases in Russian, the brand already has slogans in a foreign language. Their number can be expanded and safely reach a foreign level.