The H&M brand
A strong brand is an increasingly important competitive advantage. All H&M’s communication aims to build the brand, short- and long-term, while at the same time conveying the company’s offering. Collections, stores, the magazine, PR activities, shows, events and design collaborations must communicate the same messages. Customers must be able to recognise H&M and know what H&M stands for – fashion and quality at the best price.
There is always something new happening at H&M – new items come in, stores are refurbished and new campaigns are launched. H&M must be inviting, exciting and must always surprise. This way of thinking has guided H&M throughout its history and has helped to build the strong brand that exists today.
When H&M’s first store in Hong Kong opened in March 2007, customers queued for 48 hours ahead of the doors opening. The fact that people choose to do this shows how strong the brand is. The queues and the success of the openings create a positive buzz around H&M.
Collaboration with icons and designers strengthens the brand
Each year H&M launches a number of big campaigns supplemented with smaller campaigns. This generates interest in the season’s new collections. The campaigns are an exciting, recurrent invitation to H&M.
One of the largest women’s collections in the spring of 2007 was a wide, classic collection produced by H&M in collaboration with style icon Madonna. In the autumn the same year H&M’s collaboration with Roberto Cavalli received a great deal of attention when the Italian fashion legend created an exclusive women’s and men’s collection for H&M. These collaborations show the strength and breadth of H&M’s offering by illustrating clearly that fashion and design is not a matter of price. The attention they receive also strengthens the H&M brand as an international fashion company.
Same message globally
H&M communicates through all channels. The collaborations with designers and style icons are good examples of this. When H&M wanted to produce a beachwear collection based on Australian surf style and was looking for someone who could symbolise this, the choice was Kylie Minogue.
Kylie was the face of one of the summer’s beachwear collections 2007 – in the stores and in H&M’s advertising. When she then performed at the opening in Shanghai, the world’s media reported on this and on H&M’s move into Asia. H&M does the unexpected and the high level of attention strengthens the brand and also makes it more exciting to go into the local store.
H&M inspires everywhere
H&M has high requirements that all its communication must be of the highest quality.
H&M Magazine provides a good idea of how H&M views fashion. It offers readers a mix of fashion, inspiration and the latest lifestyle trends. It is issued four times a year and is aimed equally at customers and staff. Like all H&M’s communication, the magazine can be seen as an invitation to H&M. It is important for building the brand in the long term and is also available on the H&M website.
PR makes the brand even clearer
H&M is in close contact with the media in order to showcase its fashion and increase knowledge about H&M. H&M also communicates continually with the business press and financial markets.
Financial information
The H&M share is one of the most traded shares on the OMX Nordic Exchange in Stockholm. In terms of market capitalisation H&M was the largest company on the exchange in Stockholm and had at the end of the financial year 2007 approximately 170,000 shareholders. The message in H&M’s financial communications follows the same patterns as the company’s other communications. Providing accurate and relevant information – at press conferences and telephone conferences, for example – gives journalists and analysts a sound basis for their work and at the same time strengthens the H&M brand.