H&M: Role Models
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT - ART DIRECTION
Role Models is an initiative driven by H&M to support kids and inspire others through their positive ambitions. H&M aims to enable and elevate young changemakers by providing exposure via their global reach and influence,as well as resources to help them to scale up their work. The initiative includes working directly with kids around the world and telling their stories through social media channels.
It also includes a partnership with KidsRights, an international non-governmental organisation that promotes the wellbeing of vulnerable children and advocates for the realisation of their rights. Through the Role Models initiative, H&M is a sponsor of the International Children’s Peace Prize, founded by KidsRights.
PHASE 1: RECRUIT
At regular intervals throughout the year, a global campaign is run to recruit young changemakers – an invitation to be featured on H&M’s platforms to spread awareness about their causes. In 2024, a group of 6 kids were selected from close to 600 applications received from around the world – based on the strength of their stories and relevance to the overall H&M brand narrative, focusing on self-expression.
PHASE 2: HERO
The next phase involves working with the Role Models to get to know them further, and creating content to be shared primarily on H&M’s organic social media channels. Stories include the kids’ own image and video content, Q&A sessions with our audience generated through Instagram, as well as links to relevant external organisations chosen in collaboration withe the Role Models.
A regionally activated campaign in South Africa highlighted young role model Bontle, an 11-year old award-winning author and advocate for literacy. Bontle came to H&M’s attention through her published adventure books for children, and her local activism in response to the literacy crisis in South Africa. Her story was lifted in H&M’s own channels, as well as both organic and paid social media. Media tracking for Meta during a 2-week period measured over 7.5 million impressions with a reach of 2.45 million.
The initiative was expanded through a collaboration with Lalela Project, a non-governmental organisation which brings art to under-resourced communities in South Africa, with the aim to encourage kids’ entrepreneurship and the realisation of their goals for a brighter future. A limited collection was produced by H&M, using illustrations created by young students of the program. The prints feature kids’ greatest imaginary adventures,as inspired by Bontle’s own publications. All proceeds went to Lalela Project.