Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the power of social media networks, namely Instagram, in building brand communities and co-creating value for brands. By analysing the 2015 campaign #withoutshoes by TOMS, the authors intend to demonstrate how the value creation process can be extended to involve all stakeholders and raise the effectiveness of a brand’s communication campaign. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was taken to enable an understanding of online consumer behaviour. A series of qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with retail and marketing professionals from the TOMS brand to explore brand strategy. The TOMS Instagram account was analysed for a specific marketing communications event and summative content analysis was applied to the brand’s Instagram profile in order to allow for an in-depth exploration of the co-creation process. Triangulation was used for the multiple sources of evidence in order to build the study and to establish the convergence of data results, to diminish bias and to increase accuracy of the research data (Saunders et al., 2009). Findings – Through a detailed overview of the campaign developed by TOMS, this paper explores how TOMS fosters the formation of consumer-brand-relationships as well as maps out the advantages of value co-creation. The research findings support the literature on co-creation, which argues that the way to achieve innovation and value creation in the changing and challenging marketing landscape is through co-creation. This study adds to the findings that co-creation strategies are a privileged manner of nurturing customer relationships and of lowering costs for marketing and research and development (Sawhney et al., 2005; Prandelli et al., 2006). Originality/value – There are a relatively limited number of studies focusing on the Instagram platform, and of those carried out thus far most concentrate on how the platform interprets cultural issues, rather than how it can be used effectively as a marketing strategy and how it can leverage user’s preferences. Also, not a lot of studies have focused on the relationship between value co-creation and its relevance and impact on brands through engagement processes and the role of experience in brand building. Brand value co-creation through human experiences can provide considerable implications for brand management (Prahalad and Ramaswamy, 2004a) as well as be a key component in the building process of customer experiences. This study suggests new approaches to getting useful insights about how brands can use social media to further engage with their target audience though an integrative framework of brand value co-creation with theoretical underpinning.

This article analyses the notion of brand heritage with a specific focus on the rise and demise of the Hong Kong tailored cheongsam. In doing so, it uses the case studies of Richemont-owned Shanghai Tang and family-owned Linva Tailors to demonstrate the evolution of this hertiage garment, and muses on the importance of the preservation of authentic products, the importance of slow sustainable fashion and the presentation of artisanship in the globalized marketing of spaces and places by a wider range of global luxury brands.\ud \ud \ud Abstract:\ud Popular media celebrates the iconic Hong Kong dress – the cheongsam; yet, its existence is threatened as Hong Kong’s population of master tailors is rapidly dwindling. Hong Kong’s fashion identity is closely intertwined with the changing patterns of the global fashion industry. Hong Kong once buzzed with factories supplying the world’s wardrobes, but recent developments resulted in the loss of its manufacturing base, and as fashions changed the once ubiquitous cheongsam was consigned to fashion history. With the recent focus on heritage and slow fashion, making has become a key component in fashion marketing. Companies in the United Kingdom and United States are reviving old brands and launching new ones, using abandoned industrial equipment and reinvigorating local economies. This increased focus on country of origin, artisanship and sustainability also offers opportunities for Hong Kong to reposition itself, and this article surveys the contemporary fashion landscape in order to inform a debate on cultural heritage in fashion and its marketing

The recent explosion in ICT means computers are marketed as an essential element of modern education. Governments have spent heavily on ICT but evidence of the effectiveness of this investment is contradictory; teacher attitude is cited as both a barrier to and a facilitator of its implementation. Initially used to simplify course administration, ICT now has the potential to fundamentally change practices; recognising the opportunities ICT offers as a bridge between classrooms and the relevant world beyond, teachers access online resources such as museum collections and practitioners. No consensus exists within art and design education as to the role of ICT or even its validity in the arts; using the computer as a tool for fine art may mean different teaching skills are required and different learning approaches are enabled. This article reviews international research on the adoption of ICT in schools and colleges, specifically looks at examples of good practice in art and design education and reviews trends in technology to determine the benefits and limitations for future practice

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Globalization is dramatically increasing numbers of international students in UK art and design institutions. Education as a primary source of enculturation can play an important part in bridging cultural differences; however, without awareness of the different learning cultures of Western and Confucian Heritage Cultures there is a danger of stereotype, prejudice and barriers to learning. There is a lack of research into intercultural communication in the creative fields; this article considers whether art and design institutions can adopt and adapt bestpractice from other fields of education in order to provide intercultural learning cultures that recognize both differences and common ideas of education and creativity.