1. H&M
By Ed Watts
Recent Ogilvy Intern (UK) and aspiring Junior Planner

2. The Key Challenge
H&M as a brand is having a small identity crisis, they are slipping away from the front runners in
the low priced fashion market. H+M have diluted their core brand values, as a result of an over
reliance on ‘celebrity’ driven marketing and promotional strategy est. 2004. Customers now wait
for the next Celeb/Designer offering rather than regularly shopping at H&M for their fast fashion
needs. The younger generation are fashion conscious, they want to look great and current at the
lowest possible cost, but they also want a sense of belonging within a fast paced fashion culture.
H&M’s ambition to help the world to look beautiful, desirable and sustainable is somewhat flawed.
In the past H&M have been wrought with stories of low wage labour as well as poor working
conditions, evidently this will have impacted the overall brand image which is exacerbated by a
developing generation of young, savvy and well connected customer base.

3. The core objective for H&M - is to
increase business revenues of
$50million in 2013 (not selling 1 million units of BB Shoes at
$50) by re-claiming and overhauling
their brand position as the leading
global retailer within the fast
fashion market.
Core Objective

4. Target Audience and Mindset
H&M believe they should be targeting the social lubricants the Males/Females aged between 18-24 and
are the centre of their particular networks, who lead without leading but you follow because you trust
them & want to be like them.
To some degree the above statement is true. However, H&M need to focus there messaging on a wider
scale across the 14 - 35 range as younger and younger teens and older adults become increasingly
fashion conscious.
Over the past five years one has noticed a stark change in how young adults interact with fashion. They
look for customisation, individuality and identity. To some level, a counterculture movement has seeped
into fashion, where many young aspiring fashionistas are looking to move away form the norm. They
want to stamp there mark on the world and use fashion as a voice to express there inner-self.
H&M’s target audience are customers who want to build their own identity through fashion, their way.
They want to have control over what they wear and how they wear it. One would argue the need to
communicate personalisation and ownership is key.

5. The Barriers
The current brand positioning of H&M is a barrier to its upward extension
H&M are known for bringing high end cat walk fashion to the masses and to
some degree are recognised as Massperational fashion and this maybe a
problem.
Constant battle against key competitors for a larger share of the fast fashion
market. Including, Uniqlo’s domination over the digital marketing sphere.
Consumer trends are ever-evolving and H&M must keep there fingers on the
pulse and there ear to the ground. If they do not they will be left behind.

6. Insights
The onset of the global recession in 2008 has led many consumers to re-evaluate
their spending habits, and opt for the more modest option. Flashy, as well as formal
clothing, began to feel a little crass - rough and ready was in. H&M’s strategy as of
late, regarding there ties with high end fashion maybe the nail in the coffin for
upward extension.
Customers want to keep things simple. Nostalgia is in the air, many consumers are
beginning to relate to the simpler times of past years, where decisions where easy,
life wasn't so fast and life was a personal endeavour.
Consumers are becoming more wary of mass luxury and the pretence. The rarer
the better. The realer the better. However, to some degree the sense of niche,
individuality and variety is always reflected in retailing where high streets and malls
can have a cloned appearance. Thus, consumers are trying to search for an outlet
to bring an element of personalisation to their fashion lives.

7. The role of communications
• To communicate the importance of people to fashion, to open up a
new world where interaction is at it’s core.To maintain a select core
of Style leaders affiliated with the brand but to allow for organic
conversation to grow with these Leaders and H&M core audience.
• To communicate the fundamental fact that H&M deliver fashion at low
cost prices but also engage and empower young fashion consumers to
customise, personalise and create an identity.

8. Key Point to be Delivered
H&M ‘The Peoples Fashion’

9. Channels
• Digital
• PR - H&M Stylers

10. H&M’s The Peoples Blog
• A fashion blog moderated by H&M but run by the people. It will be a platform for young aspiring
designers and fashionistas to swap story’s new styles and trends and more importantly tips on how to
custom yourself with H&M. Customised tabs related to all things fashion and new styling tips from
professional fashion stylers.With structured feedback loops H&M will be able to react in real time to
changing tastes and or new ideas.
• Aim to target key fashion influencers and bloggers to help PR the blog socially.
• H&M will run a new H&M designers scheme twice a year, any aspiring designer will have the opportunity
to show there work with the opportunity to have a small line produced and sold across UK stores.These
designers will be voted in by the public and will generate a strong emotional affiliation with the chosen
line.
• By harnessing customers own thoughts and views on current fashion in a confined and organic digital
space will empower teh target audience to interact and feel apart of H&M culture.

11. H&M Interactive Fashion
• Interactive Fashion application, where customers can mix and match
styles on there mobile or tablet device on the go or in store and see
there own personal style come alive.
• This can be shared and uploaded to live feeds in all store, where their
own styling will be displayed. Embedding the idea of ‘Peoples Fashion’
and personalising the shopping experience. H&M can also offer
discount if other store goers purchase that particular styling.

12. H&M Stylers
• H&M Stylers is a travelling fashion show, where local fashionistas and
aspiring designers will get to compile a personalised range of fashion
stylings for the catwalk.This will be backed with live interactive games
and twitter feeds online, where members of the H&M ‘Peoples blog’
will be able to comment and aide the stylers to create a wonderful
show.

13. Final Thought
• As this is a integrated piece of creative, it will be key to strategise a
simple but effective UX journey across all key touch points over the
three concepts

14. 5 Key Questions
• Do you think your ‘celebrity’ driven marketing and promotional strategy est. 2004 lacks relevance?
• Why would you want to move into the low priced basketball shoe market and compete against
established competition and why do you believe customers will respond to this?
• Am I right in saying you would like to increase your revenue by $50mill in 2013?
• Do you feel you are placing to much emphasis on being massperational and not enough on being
personal?
• What do you have against the colour beige?

15. Thanks