Variety

H&M is renting out suits for interviews: 5 genius marketing moves in the Covid era

Akshata KamathJanuary 17, 2022 | 18:49 IST

2021 has shifted the way businesses are seen and sustained, as the Covid era has changed consumer behaviour drastically. Our stay-at-home way of being, and the on-and-off lockdown situation have impacted our spending habits. The limited availability and non-availability of certain goods and services during a certain time has also changed our consumption patterns. 

Thus, businesses are now finding new ways to connect with customers and stay relevant, by incorporating this changed consumer behaviour. Here are some new marketing trends that were visible in 2021 and is likely to seep into this year too.

1. FOCUS ON COMMUNITIES  

Coca-Cola debuted its first holiday campaign under its "Real Magic" platform with a focus on communicating festive joy and inclusion, a theme that was popularised as people were cooped up at homes for a long long time.

Coke & fan connection app Cameo came together to offer consumers the chance to request a custom video greeting from Santa. This came across with a fun video which showed how Coca-Cola was a platform to address a fragmented world that needed community.

The ad reflects on need for communities to come together and celebrate as a boy inspires his apartment community to construct a makeshift chimney for Santa, using cardboard boxes.

2. SUSTAINABILITY 

In 2019, clothing brand H&M started a free trial of renting clothing from the Conscious Exclusive Collection to inspire customers to reuse and recycle clothes. Members could rent up to three pieces a time, at a cost of around 350 Swedish Kronor per piece to encourage a cicrculating fashion industry. This move geared up in 2021, when the attention went towards men who were hunting for a job but could not buy themselves a suit.

So, H&M started a 24-hour rental programme which provided them with quality options at absolutely no cost.

All they had to do was to log on to H&M’s website to make a reservation; and a two-piece suit — a dress shirt, tie, and handkerchief would be delivered in a convenient garment bag at home. The attire was available for 24 hours before they returned it for dry cleaning.

3. INNOVATION IS THE KEY

Experiental marketing reached a new high when Crown Royal applied a unique 3D printing technology to generate a metaverse-like atmosphere to promote a new line of canned cocktails.

Crown Royal scanned its primary cast and various locations around the globe, and then used 3D printing to bring them together to create miniature sets. These sets were specially assembled for the advertisement, as other 3D models like dogs and cats were assembled to create a whole new world of cocktails. 

4. PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABS 

Tide created a "TurnToCold" campaign, with which they urged consumers to wash three out of four loads of laundry in cold water. This reduces an amount of greenhouse gas emissions equal to removing more than 1 million cars from the road for a year.

Why did Tide come up with this campaign? Well, despite cutting emissions at its factories by 75% in the past 10 years, more than two-thirds of emissions happen at the consumer's side when they use the product.  

Tide collaborated with a pair of unique unexpected celebrity "cold callers" — rapper Ice-T and wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and this did the trick.

It leveraged its relationship with the NFL to reach 80 million households that watch NFL games and reiterated its message. Fans could win a Tide Cold Washer, a talking washing machine that features the voices of 10 NFL players, and much more; thus making it a memorable campaign.

5. KEEP IT REAL

Burger King was committed to offer fresher and natural food with a reduction of 120 'non-essential' artificial ingredients that it used to promote their 'Keep It Real' meal campaign. Burger King collaborated with celebrity ambassadors to create their unique, authentic menus and custom orders. The three ambassadors were Rapper Nelly, Singer Anitta and social media influencer Lil Huddy

 

Burger King asked these celebs to use their real names instead of their stage personas to promote their meal campaign.

 

So, Nelly represented The Cornell Haynes Jr Meal, while Anitta promoted The Larissa Machado Meal, and Lil Huddy promoted The Chase Hudson Meal. The 'Keep It Real' meal boxes carried QR codes that could be scanned and opened for interactive brand experiences. This was also tied up with their brand loyalty programs, as the meals were launched at US $6 per piece.

Last updated: January 17, 2022 | 18:49
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