Mass-market theory

The mass-market theory, otherwise known as the 'trickle across', is a social fashion behavioral marketing strategy established by Robinson in 1958 and King in 1963.Mass market is defined as, "a market coverage strategy in which a firm decides to ignore market segment differences and appeal to the whole market with one offer or one strategy." The mechanism focuses on the fashion innovators found within every social economic group and the influences in response to the couture enthusiasts that innovate as part of their stylish aspect.

In contrast to the trickle-down effect of fashion innovation, this theory states that fashion trickles across different social groups as opposed to upper to lower classes. Fashion innovation is not just confined to the upper class but can actually come from the innovators amongst the different socioeconomic groups. Thus, known as the trickle across theory. The theory's roots from new fashion adoption influences 'simultaneously by different social economic group and are contained within the different groups'.

The key dynamics of this theory are as follows:

George B. Sproles created 'the fashion mechanism, as a five-stage process propagated largely by social motivations' in the Mass Market Theory:

This stage is the introduction of the fashion innovation; these innovators are known for being 'leaders of collective taste' through social networking, invest in their interest of adopting new fashion as part of their stylish aspect.

In this stage the fashion goes through a "use cycle," the latest fashion is categorized as "new" and "novel," and will then develop to become highly detectable in the fashion industry portraying it as the 'latest fashion', disregarding present styles and trends.

In this stage the 'latest fashion' will achieve a foundation through social networking to social acceptance by communication across social systems. Due to this 'diffusion process social contagion and social conformity then set new fashion tastes'.

If the latest fashion has made it to this stage, it will have attained its capital level of acceptance, therefore creating a form of "social saturation", therefore fashion is consistently utilized amongst the vast majority of individuals.

The latest fashion will eventually come to a decline in the industry, removing it from being portrayed as 'new' and 'novel' due to the emerging trend or style that has been newly introduced as part of the "use" cycle. The fashion then experiences minimal usage and limited social acceptance eventually becoming obsolete.

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