Product
How it works
Features
Use Cases
Pricing
Partners
Agencies
Affiliates
Become a Partner
Resources
Blog
Case Studies
Guides
Directory of Referral Programs
The Ultimate Referral Playbook
Help Articles
Contact Us

Latest from blog

Top Affiliate Platforms for DTC Brands in 2025

Read more

Referral Program Benchmarks: What’s a Good Conversion Rate in 2025?

Read more

How to Start an Affiliate Program on Shopify (Step‑by‑Step Guide for 2025)

Read more
ReferralCandy logo
Product
Referral Marketing
Have your customers sell for you
Affiliate marketing
Work with partners to grow your brand
Features
A customer acquisition platform that delivers results
Integrations
Works seamlessly with your marketing and ecommerce stack
Built for Your Brand
Health & wellness brands
Food & beverage brands
Apparel & fashion brands
Pet brands
Beauty brands
Baby & kids brands
Sports & fitness brands
Gadgets & electronics brands
Resources
Blog
Use Cases
Help articles
Contact us
Pricing
Log in
Log in
Sign up
← Back to blog

How H&M Became The World’s 2nd Largest Fashion Retailer

2019 marketing dates
Case Studies
Referral Marketing
March 14, 2016
Andrea Lee
How H&M Became The World’s 2nd Largest Fashion Retailer

In this article

Example H2
Example H3

In this article

Example H2
Example H3

Everyone is familiar with the iconic H&M signboard, visible from afar in Times Square, along Champs Elysees, and in every major shopping mall around the world.

H&M has become the world’s go-to place for a quick shopping fix, with affordable and sustainable clothing available to all.

How did H&M achieve such substantial success in recent years?

1. Established itself as the go-to place for cheap, fast fashion

h&m new shopfront

H&M’s business concept is clear, simple and unpretentious -- “fashion and quality at the best price”. H&M produces clothing for men and women and children that is informed by the latest trends in fashion and style.

H&M sells everything you would need -- classic basic pieces, swimwear, elegant clothing for a prom night with accessories and shoes to match, even lingerie and sportswear -- at affordable prices.

Daily shipments of new merchandise are made to H&M’s 3,900 stores in 61 different markets, keeping customers always coming back with more to see.

Word-of-mouth tip: If you want to be talked about, start with a good consistent product, and stick to your bottom line.

2. Conscious, targeted and inclusive advertising

mariah idrissi for h&m close the loop hijab

H&M’s advertising campaigns are produced in their Stockholm headquarters, but the regional marketing teams make a conscious effort to tailor campaigns to what works in these local markets.

Models with different looks, styles, cultural and ethnic backgrounds are regularly featured, to show customers that the brand focuses on all-inclusivity. For example, in their 2015 campaign called “Close the Loop", their main star was Mariah Idrissi, a 23-year-old Londoner, who donned a hijab for the video - the first for H&M.

The video also features plus size models, an amputee and many other diverse individuals. TeenVogue praised the campaign as "showcasing an incredibly diverse group of people, each following their own fashion rules, or not following any rules at all."

Additionally, local headquarters do ample research on what local cultural taboos are, and make sure to avoid them.

Word-of-mouth tip: Research, research, research. Know your local audience and tailor your marketing campaigns to cater to their tastes and preferences and avoid cultural taboos.

3. Environmental focus with H&M Conscious

h&m conscious exclusive

H&M CEO Karl-Johan Persson speaks of the campaign’s objective as “ultimately making fashion sustainable and sustainability fashionable.”

Sustainability has become the talk-of-the-century, with every individual stakeholder becoming more conscious of the repercussions of their daily actions on the growth of our planet.

With the launch of the H&M Conscious collection, H&M pledged to make choosing sustainable options accessible and affordable to the average consumer.

To generate even more hype over the campaign, H&M engaged influencers with large social media following to write about the Conscious collection on fashion and lifestyle blogs.

Directly targeting the teen to young adult demographic, these influencers are integral in generating hype and WOM for H&M's campaigns.

Word-of-mouth tip: Understand your core customer base, and what are the most effective channels to engage their attention. Social media influencers have been extremely effective in this regard.

4. Collaborations with luxury brands to make luxury fashion affordable

balmain x h&m collaboration

Every year, H&M launches a capsule collection with an internationally recognised designer house. When high-end style meets high-street prices, fashion aficionados go absolutely crazy.

Starting with Karl Lagerfeld x H&M in 2004, designer collaborations have become a mainstay in the fashion empire, with Versace x H&M in 2011, Alexander Wang x H&M in 2014, and the most successful collaboration to date -- Balmain x H&M.

The success of Balmain x H&M rode off the waves of the world’s obsession with the Balmain-clad Kardashian-Jenner clan, the prelaunch Instagram photos of celebrities flaunting their exclusively sent pieces, and the commercial success of Kendall Jenner dancing in the iconic Balmain structured blazer.

How do they keep the attention sustained, though?

Before the launch of each capsule collection, H&M generates hype through celebrity-endorsed campaigns and advertisements, that pop up on everyone’s social media feed.

This keeps all eyes on the campaign, making sure that tons of WOM is generated even before the launch.

Word-of-mouth tip: Designer collaborations have been a big hit in the fashion world. The Adidas x Kanye West Yeezy Boosts will be stranger to none. Designer collaborations ride off the incredible hype of celebrity endorsement, and generally become a commercial success.

Recap: What were the factors that contributed to H&M's success?

  1. Clear goal for their product, and sticking to their bottom line
  2. Making sure their advertising takes into account cultural contexts and is inclusive
  3. Focusing on good causes like sustainability
  4. Unique collaborations to bring luxury to the masses

_____

Read next: How Coachella Grew To Become An $82.4m Hipster Pilgrimage

Share this article on
Andrea Lee

Andrea is an undergraduate majoring in international relations and East Asian politics. She enjoys a good run in the city.

Share this article on
  • View all posts
Product
How it works
Features
Use Cases
Pricing
Partners
Agencies
Affiliates
Become a Partner
Resources
Blog
Case Studies
Guides
Directory of Referral Programs
The Ultimate Referral Playbook
Help Articles
Contact Us

Latest from blog

Top Affiliate Platforms for DTC Brands in 2025

Read more

Referral Program Benchmarks: What’s a Good Conversion Rate in 2025?

Read more

How to Start an Affiliate Program on Shopify (Step‑by‑Step Guide for 2025)

Read more
You may also like

Top Affiliate Platforms for DTC Brands in 2025

Referral Program Benchmarks: What’s a Good Conversion Rate in 2025?

How to Start an Affiliate Program on Shopify (Step‑by‑Step Guide for 2025)

© 2022 All rights reserved.
ReferralCandy is a product of Anafore Pte. Ltd
(Reg. no: 200903073C).

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Bytes of Candy

ReferralCandy

  • How It Works
  • Pricing
  • Blog
  • Setup Guide
  • Case Study

Partners

  • ReferralCandy for Agencies
  • Partner with Us
  • Affiliates

Resources

  • Ultimate Referral Playbook
  • Directory of Referral Programs
  • Best Practices and Guides
  • Support Center
  • API

Company

  • About Us
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us

Most Popular Posts

  • How to Build a Referral Program That Works in 2022 (With 80+ Examples)
  • How to Choose Referral Program Incentives (With Examples)
  • 22 Successful Shopify Referral Program Examples
  • The Ultimate Referral Widget Guide to Improve Referrals
  • 45 Best Shopify Apps That Increase Sales
  • Here’s What Great Referral Email Campaigns Look Like
  • 20 Examples of Beautiful Referral Email Design
  • 10 Small Business Referral Program Examples
  • How to Set Up a Referral Program for Your Ecommerce Store in 6 Steps