Marketing in the fashion world is an exciting journey filled with continuous learning. Constantly changing trends and a plethora of competition in the UAE mean that consumers are spoiled for choice.
Brands need to find creative ways to cut through the noise, especially to reach Gen Z audiences.
JOKES ASIDE is a homegrown streetwear brand that embraces fearless self-expression by transforming real-life stories into wearable art.
The brand aims to foster a community that celebrates individuality, confidence, and rebellion against society’s norms while pushing the boundaries of fashion—values that all resonate with Gen Z. This is how they got it done.
Get Gen Z interested
For the brand to rapidly grow from its inception and stand out from the crowd, it needed to be a conversation starter.
However, Gen Z tends to shun open promotions and instead associate credibility with messaging akin to something they would say themselves. Hence, our messaging concentrates on encouraging nonconformists by being casual, humorous, relatable, inclusive and trendy.
We tried to intentionally recreate positive associations with it through strong and colourful visuals and exaggerated random designs inspired by real-life situations. This is reflected in our social media, the apparel we sell and the pop-up concepts we execute, ensuring we preserve our brand identity.
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Strategise brand positioning for the UAE market
JOKES ASIDE differentiates itself in terms of authentic self-expression, unique designs, high-quality fabrics, and being a genuine made-in-the-UAE brand.
We swiftly built brand awareness, which was well received, since the Gen Z market here supports homegrown brands. A reason for this is possibly because they tend to be an accurate representation of their reality and strive to foster like-minded communities that they can identify with.
We also gain an added advantage from our purposeful support for slow fashion.
Furthermore, our understanding that Gen Z values exclusivity and uniqueness drove the insight to host pop-ups in various locations around the country.
By resonating with them and giving them an avenue to create memorable experiences while fostering a fear of missing out, we drove the demographic to not only explore apparel but also connect individually with the brand’s staff and story.
Using this concept, we sold out at our launch at BRED Abu Dhabi in 2023 and pop-ups have become an essential part of our marketing strategy ever since.
Leverage the community and its influencers
Since we target a niche audience, we knew we had to tap into the youth culture early on and make ourselves known in specific Gen Z-associated communities.
This meant participating in nightlife movements, neighbourhood events, private shows, and even notable fashion and pop-culture festivals like Etisalat’s MOTB (Market Outside the Box).
So far, these physical experiences have been a big success since most of our sales are generated from them.
Similarly, we have begun stocking products in locations like concept stores, trendy barbershops and more that represent the youth’s culture to sustain our visibility and come closer to customers.
Associating with communities alone is not enough. Gen Z audiences in the UAE also idolise micro-influencers due to their genuine content on social media profiles.
Therefore, we selectively collaborate with UAE-based creatives. This includes styling models, singers, and other influential individuals who end up endorsing us online.
This tactic increases our social media engagement and allows us to become a trusted provider of streetwear fashion.
Use PR for long-term exposure
PR is an important long-term positioning tool in the fashion world.
We make sure to strengthen our relationships with relevant journalists by inviting them to our events and conversing with them on a personal basis.
Being featured in youth and fashion-focused publications provides social proof of our success, which becomes a positive affirmation for our existing and potential customers, encouraging product trials and repeat purchases.
Founder-focused content on social media
I recently realised the impact of founder-focused content on amplifying JOKES ASIDE’s brand exposure.
Since Gen Z values brand authenticity, they appreciate genuine storytelling. Hence, founders become content creators in a way since Gen Z places credibility on the brand.
Seeing a founder’s journey and the behind-the-scenes on their social profiles makes the brand more transparently available. In this regard, many people have become aware of JOKES ASIDE and its mission through my social media since I regularly share achievements and behind-the-scenes content there.
Overall, Gen Z is disrupting the UAE’s fashion industry through value-driven shopping, community-focused brand loyalty and an eye for authenticity.
Understanding their deeper motivations is crucial for fashion marketing success, especially for new brands looking to break into the market.
By Ibrahim Abudyak, Founder and Creative Director, JOKES ASIDE.
