H&M Hennes & Mauritz Inc.

There is nothing quite like the MuchMusic Video Awards (MMVAs). Every summer for one night only, the MuchMusic building in Toronto transforms into a multi-stage, outdoor extravaganza for broadcast across the country and around the world.

MediaCom earmarked the MMVAs as a homegrown property Swedish retailer H&M could leverage to boost its credibility among youth in Canada. With Lady Gaga performing and Selena Gomez co-hosting, a huge audience was forecast. When a sponsorship slot opened up, MediaCom leveraged its relationship with Bell Media to secure it.

H&M would become the first-ever “fashion authority” of the MMVAs and the first-ever third-party designer of the MMVA wristband. The agency created a dedicated Fashion page on the MMVA microsite, populating it daily with celebrity fashion content and trend messaging (plus campaign ads) from H&M. Tagged broadcast promos paired with brand ads reinforced H&M’s position as the show’s fashion authority.

A contest was created to find a blogger who would cover everything fashion during MMVA weekend, with all associated media at deal rates (another first). A slick broadcast spot produced with MuchMusic showcased H&M clothing and encouraged contest entry. Entrants submitted videos showing their fashionista cred and mobilized their own social networks to vote. Wristbands were given away via the H&M Twitter handle.

Offline, there was a performance by Dragonette in the H&M Queen Street store the Thursday before the show.

The 2011 MMVAs were the most-watched broadcast in MuchMusic history, with a 67% increase in viewers 18 to 34 (H&M’s demo). The MMVA microsite saw a 125% increase in visits over last year on show day. Thousands of consumers voted in the contest. H&M grew Facebook “likes” by 15% and Twitter followers by 20%. And one happy fashion blogger flew home to Victoria with once-in-a-lifetime memories.