The following is the description for this task:

Visit a popular store/shop where their products are displayed or distributed.

My choice of store was H&M and their Home department.

Branding Element – logo

They have a wordmark type logo with initials. It is bold, red, easy to spot and simple. It looks like a handwritten typeface. The H stands for Hennes (meaning “hers” in Swedish). Hennes was the first store launched by the founder, Erling Persson, in Sweden in 1947. Later, when Mauritz Widforss was baught by Erling, the M was added. This was also the start of manufacturing men’s and children’s clothing.

Brand Identity

Fast fashion that is high quality, reasonably priced, environmentally conscious, progressive, modern, trendy, inclusive, hip, and young. Expensive look at a lower price. This affordable yet not cheap brand targets mostly the younger generation. Their Home products are for a broader audience, for anyone who likes to follow interior decorating trends or buy decoration and other home items, but is still most popular among the younger generation as it follows current trends and changes its products often.

I think they remain true to this identity, but need more progress toward sustainability in order to match the environmentally friendly identity they are hoping to create.

Brand Positioning

H&M aims to be known for producing current, fashionable, and good quality products at a reasonable price. In spite of being a fast fashion company, they are making steps toward sustainability and are changing their production process and materials used to match this value. This approach appeals to this generation. Their home section is especially popular among working young adults who are looking for beautiful, trendy, and unique items that look high end, but are more reasonably priced.

In my opinion, the idea that they are providing good value for the money comes through. Their products do have decent quality and many times the only difference between their products and a more expensive brand is just the brand. I tend to look for items based on value rather than brand names, and I find that items similar to H&M’s in quality and uniqueness are hard to find any cheaper, so I believe they are staying true to their position in this regard. When it comes to sustainability, they are not quite there, but are making efforts. I think this move may be more of a marketing strategy than a deep-rooted value at this point. The idea of sustainability also seems a bit contradicting for a fast fashion company.

Display of products

Their products are displayed in a neat, orderly fashion, which to me speaks of a store that values quality. It is not crammed, but they use their space well. It has a nice, somewhat high-end feel without going overboard. I find that the amount of breathing room in a store is a good measurement for the quality and the price-range to be expected. It works sort of like negative space in design. The more high-end the more breathing room in most cases. For this reason, I mostly avoid stores/boutiques that are extremely airy because I expect them to be really expensive. I think H&M is right in the middle. They are not the cheapest store around, but they are neat, approachable, and affordable.

They have designated areas for the different types of items, making it easy to navigate through the store. The newest items are placed close to the entrance and are made visible from outside. They create nice display arrangements to inspire customers. The prices are not clearly visible on signs, each item has to be checked for the price. An average decoration item is about 250 nok. I personally don’t find it cheap nor expensive, but the prices of items can quickly add up. Mark offs (%) are indicated by signs. There is also a designated section for marked off items; however, most of their items are never marked off and sell fast. I believe that the way they present themselves is in perfect balance with their identity as a brand that values both quality and affordability.