HEMA

Objective

HEMA, a typically Dutch brand and a symbol of national pride, has been a beloved household name in the Netherlands for nearly a century. Known for its simple, high-quality products at affordable prices, HEMA embodies Dutch practicality and design. However, beyond its deep cultural roots, the brand is also recognised for its bold, innovative spirit on TikTok.

When HEMA wanted to boost the online sales of their Back to School merchandise, they used a novel campaign strategy on TikTok to reach young adults and parents, who play a crucial role in purchasing decisions for their children.

Solution

HEMA teamed up with creative and media agency partner GoSpooky, to develop an innovative, TikTok-first campaign.

The strategy they came up with re-engaged young adults and parents with a Back to School social series, using "Slayma" and relatable creators to connect with their everyday struggles and admiration for older role models. The word "Slay" originally emerged from the African American community in the 1980s, symbolizing confidence and excellence, and has since resurfaced in popular culture, especially on TikTok, where Gen Z uses it to express admiration and praise. The TikTok HEMA community loved the brand’s content so much that they began affectionately calling HEMA "Slayma," embracing the playful and empowering spirit of the brand.

Building on the momentum of Slayma, HEMA launched the 'Slayma Summer School', featuring a diverse set of creators as “teachors” (teacher-mentors) to serve as role models. The campaign aimed to guide students in finding their true selves and help them "slay" the transition from primary to high school, making the process exciting and empowering. As a final touch, HEMA created a custom map in Fortnite where players could collect exclusive 'Slayma Summer School' items, further immersing the community in the campaign's experience.

HEMA integrated Video Shopping Ads into their campaign to find new customers and drive conversions, utilizing the platform's powerful catalog capabilities for SKU-level targeting and personalized product recommendations, ensuring a more tailored shopping experience that resonated with their audience.

Results

The results of the 'Slayma Summer School' campaign were highly successful, showcasing the effectiveness of HEMA's approach. The campaign achieved an impressive 89% decrease in Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) and a 500% increase in Conversion Rate (CVR), highlighting the strong impact of Video Shopping Ads.

Additionally, the campaign boosted key brand metrics, with a 14.3% increase in ad recall, where users remembered seeing HEMA ads on TikTok in the past two days, and a 3.4% increase in awareness, with more people recognizing the Slayma Summer School brand. These metrics reflect the campaign's success in driving both engagement and sales.