Brief:
Visit a popular store, like an Apple reseller, Nike, Levi’s, H&M or Ikea. The brand should be well-known, and you must visit a shop where their products are displayed or distributed. In smaller towns, you may not have access to these stores. In this case, you’ll need to find a section showcasing these items and view how they are displayed or laid out.
Before going to the shop, determine the following about their brand identity and, once at the shop, evaluate how they remain true or untrue to their brand identity.
How is the brand identity enhanced (or perhaps, not expressed) at the point of customer interaction?
Hand in a write-up with photos of the following:
- The branding element they are using in their logo (e.g. abstract mark or wordmark).
- What you think their brand positioning is.
- How do they remain true to their brand positioning within their shops and brand identity?
- Evaluate the customer experience according to the brand positioning. (For example, if the brand positioning is ‘innovation’, do you get a sense of that when you visit the outlet?)
- Evaluate the visual display of the products according to the brand ideal. (For example, if the brand ideal is ‘value’, is this expressed in how they display the products?)
I chose Hennes and Mauritz as the store I wanted to visit. Mainly because of my personal experience there. I have some anxiety in crowds, and the thought of taking pictures in a store was quite intimidating. I have shopped at H&M for many years, and always get left alone while I walk around, and when I pay, the crew is friendly.
Branding element:
Hennes and Mauritz is a Swedish-founded clothing-retail company, with a big consumer base and operates in more than 60 countries. It is also #31 on the world’s most valuable brand list on Forbes. It started out as Hennes (meaning hers) and has gone through many changes since. Merging with another company and by that including men’s clothing, they changed their logo to Hennes and Mauritz. They created a lettermark logo H&M to serve as their main logo. It has bold letters and bright red color. It is easily recognizable and is one of the most significant trademarks in the fashion industry.
Brand positioning:
“We believe in people, We are one team, Constant improvement, Straightforward and open-minded, Entrepreneurial spirit, and in all we do, sustainability is a natural part”
Understanding and meeting the customer’s needs is at the core of everything they do. They put the customer first and ensure that they can offer the best combination of fashion, quality, and price. H&Ms goal is always to exceed their customer’s expectations. Their products are for all people, young and old, big and small, wherever they are in the world, and whatever needs they may have.
Sustainability is also a major factor for them, and something they want to be known for. They spend a considerable amount of resources to increase sustainability, and rather than own factories, they buy from independent suppliers and work to make long-term improvements for people and the em\nviroment. They call this work H&M Conscious.
CONSCIOUS CHOICE PRODUCTS EXPLAINED
We feel you. It can be super tricky to know if you’re making environmentally-friendly shopping choices. But we want to make it easier! So, our aim is for all our products to be made from recycled or other sustainably sourced materials by 2030. This actually already applies to 65% of the materials that we use.
We also have Conscious choice: pieces created with a little extra consideration for the planet. Each Conscious choice product contains at least 50% of more sustainable materials — like organic cotton or recycled polyester — but many contain a lot more than that. The only exception is recycled cotton where we accept a level of at least 20%. The quality of recycled cotton makes it tricky to include a higher amount. But we’re hoping to change that! With new technological solutions and innovations, we’re continually working to make our range even more sustainable.
Conscious choice can be found across all our departments, all year round. Just look for the green hangtag!
From their website
Visiting the store:
From the parking lot, H&M uses their lettermark logo on the side of the building. It can be seen from far away, and the other stores (there are many) in the mall do not have their logos next to it to compete.
The entrance to the store inside the mall is plain with only the Logo. It is still easily spotted amongst the other stores.
H&M section their store up by Men, Women, and children, with subsections within them as well. There are clear signs that tell you where you need to go in order to find what you need.
The colors on the walls and shelves are dark grey and white, keeping the style to a minimum and letting the customers focus on the clothes/products. There are for sale signs and posters on the wall, but these are also minimalistic.
The clothes are lying neatly folded or hanging by formal wear/color/sportswear/seasonal etc. Easy to spot what you need, and gives a sense of luxury, without the price tag of it.
In this particular H&M, there are 2 stories, one with children and men, the other with women and cosmetics/accessories. the pictures above are from the entrance and window from the upstairs store, and I notice that they do not have their Logo showing in the window leading out to the other side. This is not a very smart move branding-wise, as you cannot see what store it is unless you walk around to the front. Something you might not do if you don’t know what is there.
“Fashion and quality at the best price”
As a clothing store, H&M knows what they are doing. They have something for everyone and it’s affordable. The store itself is big, inviting and clean. Easy to navigate with their sectioning and personnel that will help you if you ask, but leave you alone while you browse. This makes the customer feel seen but also respected. No one likes to get followed around in the store. I know from prior experience that if there is a problem with a product, the staff will do everything they can to help remedy the situation, and fast. This is exactly what their brand position is all about: For the customer. They deliver both great customer service, quality, price, and selection.
Sources:
https://www2.hm.com/en_us/women/sustainability/our-products.html
https://handmbranding.weebly.com/branding-of-hm.html