H&M Loves New York
The Challenge
How do you make a global brand feel local?
2019 was an important year for H&M: with the launch of the new Hudson Yards store, the brand will have had a presence in the city for over 19 years—but the excitement for H&M that was felt back then isn’t as strong today.
How could we build for the new store opening and reignite New Yorkers' passion for the brand?
By showing we love New Yorkers, as much as we love the city itself.
The Solution
The Rollout
Our multi-stage love letter to the city began on Valentine's Day with a poem proclaiming our love, and finished with the new store opening.
On Valentine’s Day we sparked the love again with New York to introduce the "We Love It Here Because We Love You Here" message in a full page New York Magazine spread.
Tease: A Love Letter
We then celebrated New Yorker Since Moments through a cast of authentic New Yorkers, displaying our shared love for the city through their own moments.
Show: Community Stories
Amplifying on social via #HMLovesNY, our cast shared their messages and extended it to a large group of New York native influencers.
Amplify: <3 on Social
Launching at Hudson Yards, we put consumers in the campaign and made it easy on opening day for any H&M fan to show up and share their own New York love stories.
Sustain: Love at First Sight
12 real New Yorkers, including H&M employees, brought to life that being part of the city doesn’t happen after a year, 5 years, or even 10 years—but in a moment.
Each cast member was photographed by Peter Ash Lee in the studio and around the city with their stories extended across OOH, paid social and digital, and the cast's personal social channels.
After launch, we sent New Yorker Since kits to local influencers to expand the story.
The Results
- 1.2MSocial media impressions
- 4775People Attend Opening Day
- 169KTotal social engagements using #HMLovesNY
- 12Real New Yorkers cast in campaign
- 3KImages taken in our photo experience on opening day
