These include COS, Monki, Arket, & Other Stories and Weekday. H&M's most serious global competitor is the similarly forward-thinking but even more nimble Spanish group Inditex, owner of Zara, and it has followed that group's lead in recent years by rolling out several satellite brands to support the main H&M chain. Its first store in Central America - in Panama - opened in 2021 with Ecuador to follow in 2022. The group took its first steps into Asia in 2007 with outlets in China (now its second biggest market by stores and #4 by sales after the UK), and arrived in Latin America for the first time in 2012. Although Europe is the group's stronghold, H&M is one of the few foreign fashion retailers to have established a successful foothold in the US market, now its largest territory by outlets (over 580 stores) and the #2 by sales after Germany. Among the many luminaries who have already loaned their names to the chain are Madonna, Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney. For several years, a key selling point was H&M's annual collaboration with different star designers. H&M is one of Europe's two leading clothing brands, until recently seemingly immune from the woes than have plagued many other retailers, not least US rival Gap. All but around 270 franchised outlets are wholly owned and run by the group. Instead of sharing what they’re wearing or the items they want to buy, consumers are simply joining in on a conversation about what it is like to be a woman.īy sparking a natural discussion, H&M has succeeded in creating awareness of its brand during the key Autumn/Winter season, as well as connecting and engaging with its core audience.You may not immediately think of Sweden as a country famous for its fashion, but its H&M chainstore has successfully conquered the globe, now with around 5,020 stores in 74 countries by the end of 2020. While brands using hashtags might be common practice, it is uncommon within the world of fashion for an unrelated topic to take off. Isn’t it time you started acting like a lady? Five modern ladies share their version of #ladylike: cc: #ad /1y2twP2jZ8
#H and m ad why how to#
Lastly, H&M’s campaign is a great example of how to capitalise on online buzz.īy asking consumers to share what they think it means to be a lady, the video has created further discussion on the topic, and led to even more people sharing and commenting on the campaign. Encourages sharing and consumer involvement This inspires consumers (and especially young consumers) to think of gender norms in the same way. It is certainly not a serious video, and so makes the whole concept of being a ‘lady’ seem rather silly too. On the other hand, H&M’s position as a high street name means the subject becomes far more relatable. However, it does come off as quite serious, and perhaps a little off-putting for the everyday consumer. There’s nothing wrong with this – quite the opposite of course. Lately, there seems to have been an attempt to make feminism fashionable, with feminist slogans seen on the runway and designers putting their names behind campaigns like ‘He for She’. So why does it resonate more than other feminism-driven campaigns?ĭespite other examples like Dove’s ‘Real Beauty’ or Nike’s ‘Better for It’, there aren’t many that tackle big issues relating to gender in playful and humorous ways. It challenges traditional stereotypes and encourages women to be fierce and fearless. Reworking Tom Jones’ hit, ‘She’s a Lady’, the ad depicts women in various scenarios such as singing karaoke, being loud in restaurants and leading boardrooms. So, onto the main reason why the ad has garnered such a big response – its depiction of women and what it means to be ‘ladylike’ in 2016. It’s just nice to see a group of women wearing clothes in a natural and relatable way – and as an expression of their personality or identity. So firstly, let’s forget the gender norms stuff. It places fashion in the context of every day, depicting women wearing clothes exactly how they would actually be worn in real life situations – not on a runway or in front of a green screen. In contrast, H&M’s less-than-glamorous approach is refreshing.