H&M unites social media influence with in-store action for recycling promotion

To celebrate the first World Recycle Week, H&M is partnering with musician M.I.A. for a music video shared on mobile and digital channels, along with complementary posts on social media from performers to prompt participation in its recycle program. H&M is hoping to give a boost to its current recycle program in which customers receive discounts by donating used clothing through social media by motivating users to share photos of their donations.

“Social media is a central component to any campaign which aims to go viral,” said Shuli Lowy, managing director at Ping Mobile. “The H&M video has a leg up on disseminating the video through social media since it is scheduled to be shared through the social channels of M.I.A. and the other participating performers.

“That will create a foundational platform of visibility from which the campaign can go viral,” she said. “It is imperative that any campaign attempting to go viral have a crisp hashtag to caption it.

“A hashtag unifies the social voice, magnifying the impact of each individual consumer’s response.”

Recycling mobile promotion

H&M is overhauling a popular theme in blogging in which influencers share their finds at clothing retailers, dubbed a ‘haul.’ The retailer is hoping to build on that theme by having consumers post to social media about their ‘rehaul’ items, apparel and accessories of which they plan on donating.

The hashtag #HMrehaul has been created for participating users to include in their posts.

The retailer has enlisted the assistance of artist M.I.A. to kick off the campaign with a music video to be shared on H&M’s mobile optimized Web site and other social channels. A variety of social media influencers will be featured in the video such as models, actors, musicians, bloggers and dancers.

These influencers will also take to their respective social pages to push the recycle program forward and urge consumers to get involved. H&M has recycling bins at each store location for users to donate unwanted clothing and accessories, and currently offers a 15 percent discount in return for a contribution.

During World Recycle Week, which takes place April 18 to 24, H&M will up its discount offer to 30 percent. M.I.A’s video will air online on April 11.

H&M and mobile

H&M also recently took to the staying power of social media through quizzes and consumer interest in giveaways with its back-to-school campaign contest (see more).

Coca-Cola also leveraged an eco-friendly theme and planned a wider rollout for a successful virtual reality headset strategy launched last year with Fanta, hoping to encourage more consumers to recycle cardboard packaging and pair it with a smartphone to create a content viewer (see more).

“Social media also provides an advertising platform through which to target consumers who would be interested in the campaign,” Ms. Lowy said. “H&M can target their shoppers as well as people who are interested in the artists featured in the video or similar green causes.”