Date of Award

2026

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design

Department

Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design

First Advisor

Saheli Goswami

Abstract

African Cultural Fashion Brands (ACFBs) are increasingly leveraging Instagram to reach global audiences and yet face persistent challenges in achieving consistent consumer engagement. Despite the African fashion industry's rapid growth, these brands remain underrepresented in digital marketing research, leaving a critical gap in understanding how message format, message tone, and cultural communication influence engagement within an African cultural branding context. A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 366 Instagram posts from eight established West African cultural fashion brands. Posts were equally balanced between message format types and message tones represented and drawn from January 2020 to December 2025. A structured codebook was developed to classify posts by message format, message tone, and cultural communication. Two independent coders classified all posts with substantial intercoder agreement. A three-way ANOVA was conducted to examine the effects of the ACFBs’ Instagram message varieties on consumer engagement. Results indicated that video message format and emotionally toned messages generated higher engagement among brand audiences compared to other message types. Furthermore, while cultural communication in brands’ messages alone did not significantly influence engagement, a significant interaction effect emerged between message tone and cultural communication, suggesting that cultural communication moderates the differential effects of message tone on engagement. These findings provide data-driven guidance for ACFBs seeking to optimize their Instagram engagement strategies.

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Available for download on Monday, June 05, 2028

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