The analysis of the visual components of Russian fashion brands’ images in social media
Image of fashion brands in social media is an integral element of brands’ communication with their target groups. Starting and managing official accounts of fashion brands in social media contributes to brand awareness, the formation of a loyal attitude to the brand by the representatives of the target groups, activates the brand promotion processes. Visual content is the main focus in preparing materials for posting on social media. The article presents the results of the study of the visual component of Russian fashion brands’ accounts in the Instagram. The research was conducted in the fall of 2021; the sample includes 45 accounts of Russian fashion brands that satisfy the set criteria (connection of the profile with the fashion industry; openness of the fashion brand profile for analysis; brand identification with Russia; existence of the fashion brand profile for over two years; presence of more than three thousand account subscribers; active maintenance of the brand account). The aim of the study: to identify the features of visual content generation and placement in the official accounts of Russian fashion brands in the Instagram. To achieve the goal, the author developed the methodology of the visual content analysis in the social networks of fashion brands. The main categories of analysis are: the types of placement of visual materials in the account profile, the type of visual content, the uniformity of color, element, text in the images, shooting angle, compositional solutions, contrasting techniques, techniques of psychological visual impact, filters, retouching, special effects on photos, content accentuation. The article presents an analysis on the example of three profiles of famous Russian fashion brands Lesyanebo, Rasario, Ulyana Sergеenko, which differ in the number of loyal audience and in the psychographic characteristics of the target audience. The visual content presented in the profiles of the three brands, the ways of its generation and placement are typical for the profiles of fashion brands in the Instagram, allows to draw conclusions about the features of visual content generation and placement in the official accounts of Russian fashion brands in the Instagram. As a result of the study, conclusions were formulated on the ways to differentiate the visual content that is generated for placement in the official accounts of fashion brands in social media ( the use of non-staged photos, the use of celebrity images, the use of different style solutions in the shooting of particular collections, the use of unique retouching techniques and photo processing, the creation of dynamic images, the development of communication campaigns with the opportunities of social media, the creation of a professionally made visual content, using the latest technologies and opportunities provided by social media).