The dean and vice-dean of the Faculty of Communication Sciences, Alfonso Méndiz and Elisa Regadera, gave a talk entitled “Valores y storytelling en los fashion films de las marcas de moda. El caso Tender Stories (2014-2017), de Tous” [Values and storytelling in fashion films by fashion brands: The case of Tender Stories (2014-2017) by Tous] at the 26th EBEN (European Business Ethics Network) Conference, which took place in Malaga on 31 May and 1 June 2018. Professor Méndiz also coordinated the Conference section on “Ethics in Commercial and Institutional Communication" and delivered another presentation alongside doctoral student Pilar Tourón on "Fundamentos para una Deontología del Neuromarketing” [Groundwork for ethical standards in Neuromarketing].

In their talk on Tous’ company values, Méndiz and Regadera pointed out that, “fashion brands use communication to shape their identity based on the corporate values proclaimed in their advertisements. The current trend of storytelling in advertising campaigns make immaterial aspects even more important, as narrative campaigns promote values rather than products and stories rather than arguments”. 

According to the lecturers, with the emergence of fashion films, fashion brands have switched their focus to emotional, narrative discourse: products have been ascribed a secondary role, while values and storytelling now constitute the backbone of communication. 

In their analysis of the Tender Stories fashion film series, the lecturers added that, “these stories depict a concept of love and tenderness that reflects the jewellery company’s identity and establishes an emotional bond with the audience. The kind of love that’s always romantic, that beats the odds, that's timeless and basically consists of making the other person happy”, they emphasised.