Foundations of Information Systems: Research Report- Thousand Fell

MIS500

Foundations of Information Systems

Research Report- Thousand Fell

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Introduction

Thousand Fell is a New York footwear company founded by Stuart Ahlum and Chloe Songer (Samaha, 2019). The company is making footwear using only completely recyclable and sustainable materials. The brand is conscious that traditional sneaker manufacturing is poor for the planet and desires a circular (Fell, 2024) economy in which the product can be designed for recycling. The company has introduced unique and innovative materials to make its sneakers, such as plastic bottles, sugarcane, and coconut (McGowan, 2024) husk fibers, making them cruelty-free, long-lasting, and good-looking. The brand also introduced a program where customers can return worn-out sneakers for recycling. With responsible workforce practices and environmentally friendly production, Thousand Fell swiftly positioned itself as a leading voice in the sustainable fashion segment, mixing out those increasingly in-demand eco-conscious sneaker products.

Discussion

Thousand Fell was chosen for this audit and analysis because it was among the first to take a completely greener approach toward sneaker manufacturing while taking full responsibility socially and environmentally. Being one of those brands that believe in the concept of a circular economy, Thousand Fell tries to solve one of the most problematic issues, waste from footwear, which is a tremendous contribution to worldwide pollution (Fell, 2024). Their leading-edge application of recyclable materials and ethical production makes them one of the leading brands within the sustainable fashion movement.

The brand's commitment to sustainability by taking worn sneakers from consumers for recycling, advocating for a circular life cycle. Further, with increased consumer awareness of environmental issues, an assessment of the marketing strategy of Thousand Fell and its social media presence yields relevant insights into how well it communicates its sustainable mission. This will show how well the brand can engage environmentally conscious consumers and set the standard for other companies in the industry.

Audit and Analysis

Website Evaluation

It is an intuitive site, visually appealing, and seasonably reflects Thousand Fell's commitment to sustainability. Its immediate reaction to recyclable sneakers, sustainability initiatives, and customer testimonials outstandingly positioned on the homepage directly contributes to increasing user interaction. The site provides much information about the materials used in their products and the brand's circular mission, pushing the themes of transparency and CSR.

Figure 1: Recycling of Shoes

(Source: Instagram, 2024)

Social Media Presence

Thousand Fell keeps its audience engaged on both Instagram and Facebook through striking content featuring product sustainability and ethical manufacturing. This type of brand leverages Instagram Stories by featuring user-generated content that builds community with these eco-conscious consumers. The active presence invites a follower into a conversation, asking to comment and share.

Figure 2: Engaging content for users

(Source: Instagram, 2024)

Engagement and Marketing of Corporate Social Responsibility

Thousand Fell runs and vocalizes its CSR efforts on every platform. This shows how this brand is committed to reducing waste and increasing sustainability in every respect. The brand also engages with customers as well as replies to questions and comments of customers, which results in increased engagement. This helps develop a good relationship with the target audience and communicates their commitment towards sustainability more strongly.

Figure 3: Customer Reviews on Social Media

(Source: Facebook, 2024)

Quesenberry's Social Media Audit

From Quesenberry's Social Media Audit, Thousand Fell has a very active presence in social media, furthering its sustainability mission by engaging its followers in the conversation of going green (Fell, 2024). This multi-layered process allows Thousand Fell to communicate its brand values to an increasingly large audience that is interested in sustainable fashion and meaningful relationships with customers.

Figure 4: Engaging content on social media

(Source: Instagram, 2024)

Recommendations Using Porter's Value Chain Model

The primary activities of Thousand Fell that can be analyzed from Porter's Value Chain model are inbound logistics, operations, marketing, and sales. Material sourcing is done from sustainable content, the production process is also ethical to contribute to the value proposition. The company website is an essential marketing tool that helps Thousand Fell showcase product details, sustenance ability initiatives, and customer recommendations. This has been helpful for them in gaining trust and loyalty within the brand.

1. Better Content Marketing: Thousand Fell needs to create more value with its content marketing by creating educative tools and blogging (Buco, 2024, p.24) about sustainability practices related to the footwear industry. This kind of content may also be utilized to spark conversations with a wide audience via social media platforms, making Thousand Fell appear as a thought leader within the industry.

2. Influencer Partnerships: With the help of influencers within the sustainability and fashion sphere, Thousand Fell will increase exposure (Justianto & Morley, 2020, p.77). Real usage and experiences with products will add to the brand's equity and increase new consumers.

3. Social Media Advertising: Run targeted ad campaigns across Instagram and Facebook, among others, to drive consumers to the website. By targeting demographics and interests, it is guaranteed that Thousand Fell will show its products to eco-friendly (Barbe & Guisard, 2024, p.61) consumers who are likely to convert to sales.

Conclusion

For better driving of sales and more effective reaching out to its customer base, customer service in the case of Thousand Fell should be more interactive with web chat on the website to drive direct communication in real-time. Besides, virtual events or webinars based on sustainability will give one a forum for education and engagement, building a brand-loyal community around the values of the brand.

Increasing activity on such social media platforms as TikTok (Vladimirova et al., 2024, p.183) also reaches younger customers who are increasingly interested in sustainable fashion. Utilizing short, snappy videos to showcase the brand's eco-friendly products and behind-the-scenes production processes, will enhance brand visibility and attract new customers. Working with screened influencers on TikTok (Pedersen, 2024, p.26) who would be fit for eco-conscious consumers may also boost the presence of the brand. By implementing these strategies, Thousand Fell reinforces its market position and creates sales and a solid community committed to living sustainably, meeting the rising demand for cleaning-up products.

Recommendations

1. Supply Chain Transparency: Transparency is key to Thousand Fell showing its supply chain practices on its website and social media (Brun, Karaosman & Barresi, 2020, p.20). This would represent 'how' sourcing, production, and recycling are carried out at the firm.

2. Sustainability Campaigns: The brand should prioritize running focused marketing campaigns on the environmental benefits of its sneakers, using strong imagery and customer testimonials to echo with the eco-conscious (Yadav, Xu & Hergeth, 2024, p.6) consumer.

3. Loyalty Programs for Sustainable Choices: Available rewards for customers upon recycling (Grandemange, 2024, p.26) their old sneakers or referring friends will eventually create a rewards program that will foster responsible behavior, reinforce customer loyalty, and encourage ethical consumption.

References

Barbe, V., & Guisard, E. (2024). Impact of Instagram on Generation Z Consumer Buying Behavior within the Fashion Industry. https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/850902/Guisard_Barbe.pdf?sequence=2

Brun, A., Karaosman, H., & Barresi, T. (2020). Supply chain collaboration for transparency. Sustainability, 12(11), 4429. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/11/4429

Bu?o, N. (2024). Content marketing in the digital sphere. (Doctoral dissertation, [N. Bu?o]). https://ebiblioteka.efsa.unsa.ba/xmlui/bitstream/handle/EFSA/692/Nejra%20Buco%20-%20zavrsni%20rad.pdf?sequence=1

Fell, T. (2024). About Us. Thousand Fell. https://www.thousandfell.com/pages/about-us

Grandemange, M. (2024). Sustainability Matters: Exploring the Influence of Unique Sustainability Attributes on Consumer Preferences for Veja and Nike Footwear. (Master's thesis, University of South-Eastern Norway). https://openarchive.usn.no/usn-xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/3134180/no.usn%3Awiseflow%3A7087964%3A58616626.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Justianto, M., & Morley, C. (2020). The influencer effect on tourism: shifting adventure travel behavior towards more sustainability through instagram influencers. (Master's thesis). https://openaccess.nhh.no/nhh-xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/2678242/masterthesis.pdf?sequence=1

McGowan, E. (2024, March 27). 9 Best Sustainable Sneakers Of 2024 (Editor Review). The Good Trade. https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/sustainable-sneakers/

Pedersen, L. N. (2024). BRAND IMAGE & GREENWASHING. https://vbn.aau.dk/ws/files/719342275/Master_s_Thesis___Line_Norgaard_Pedersen_20195292.pdf

Samaha, B. (2019, November 20). How Thousand Fell Is Championing Circularity In The Sneaker Industry. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/barrysamaha/2019/11/20/how-thousand-fell-is-championing-circularity-in-the-sneaker-industry/

Thousand Fell. (2020). Instagram photos and videos. Instagram.com. https://www.instagram.com/thousand_fell/

Fell T. (2024). Facebook. facebook.com. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/urtf7ShpLmRjj4gG/

Vladimirova, K., Henninger, C. E., Alosaimi, S. I., Brydges, T., Choopani, H., Hanlon, M., & Zhou, S. (2024). Exploring the influence of social media on sustainable fashion consumption: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 15(2), 181-202. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/20932685.2023.2237978

Yadav, S., Xu, Y., & Hergeth, H. (2024). Walking the Talk: Unraveling the Influence of the Sustainability Features of Leather Alternatives on Consumer Behavior toward Running Shoes. Sustainability, 16(2), 830. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/830

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