“We’re All in this Together” Doesn’t Mean We’re All the Same

Most of Tommy Hilfiger’s communications right now are spot-on. But it seemed as if they missed out on the personalization part

Here’s another round of our 7 commandments of CRM best practices where we review brands’ responses to the new reality according to several parameters.

This time we got a bit fancier and will be reviewing the premium, iconic designer: Tommy Hilfiger (TH). Here we go.

1. Be Transparent 6/10

Immediately when entering the company’s homepage, the banner reading “North America store re-openings, let’s stay safe,” is clearly visible. The “learn more” link next to it leads to a COVID-19 Updates page, which details the various stores that will re-open and the safety measures the company is taking to keep associates and consumers safe.

The page also has shipping and returns updates that read:

“Orders may be delayed due to COVID-19 safety procedures put in place at our warehouse to ensure everyone’s safety. We appreciate your patience at this time and will notify you as soon as your order ships.”

We would have appreciated it more, if (like many other brands do right now) there was a short message directly on their HP detailing such delays. This would be more of a transparent gesture that customers would comfortably like to see and be aware of.

2. Give Discounts 9/10

Indeed, TH offers a surprising array of promotions.

Here’s the popup banner that appears when immediately entering their site:

In addition to that, the brand is offering 40% off sitewide and a clearly visible use code:

3. Be Relevant 7/10

Tommy Hilfiger has donated 10,000 white T-shirts to COVID-19 frontline workers for pandemic relief efforts.

“As we navigate these challenging times, it’s more important than ever that we stand strong to support our communities and industry,” said Daniel Grieder, CEO, Tommy Hilfiger Global, and PVH Europe.

“This crisis will change us, but it will not stop us. Together we will get through the challenges and keep serving our communities as best we can. We are thankful for the dedication of healthcare professionals all over the world.”

As far as relevancy goes, we did see some COVID-19 related communications and support to keep consumers engaged while stuck at home on their social media accounts (more to come on that later.)

However, other brands have also altered or packaged their products in a way that makes more sense right now. We did not see it here.

4. Be Helpful 10/10

Designed in collaboration with consumers, Tommy Hilfiger has launched a capsule collection of limited-edition T-shirts and sweatshirts, and 100% of the proceeds from their sale will go towards global COVID-19 relief efforts.

“As we’re all facing these extraordinary circumstances, standing together is the strongest way forward,” said the namesake himself.

“We’re committed to give back and provide help where it’s needed the most. Never has our spirit of determined optimism been more present than it is today.”

Tommy Hilfiger, which is owned by PVH Corp., has also donated 2 million dollars toward the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

And being the trendy, well-known, all-American brand that it is – we think they’re doing a pretty good job at supporting various causes, including the fight against food insecurity, supply chain, and industry relief, and community resiliency.

5. Personalize 0/10

Besides the fact that they offer numerous “sub-brands” to the leading TH brand – Tommy girl, Tommy Jeans, Tommie Sports, etc. – we felt their personalization factor isn’t exactly spot on upon visiting the site a few times.

Everything from their impersonalized website communications, trying to figure out what we are looking for, and perhaps even targeting us further according to gender – was a disappointment. An easy way to find out this kind of data can be seen in Uniqlo’s personalization efforts.

Finally, we were not retargeted by any means. None of our previously viewed items were later displayed to us on their site – even after adding them to our cart. Nor did we receive any ads on other channels. All in all – TH has got some work to do here.

6. Master UX 8/10

Just a couple of scrolls down TH’s homepage, we found this very large menu. It’s useful in that it displays just about everything you possibly need:

 

As far as quickly navigating through their website to find what we need, it was pretty neat. We loved the colorful menus that match TH’s image and branding.

The chat button was easily accessible, and proceeding to the checkout from our cart was simple.

7. Leverage Social Media 9/10

Here are just a few examples of how the brand addresses its global community’s needs in times of a crisis:

TH Launched an “At Home With TH” campaign starring a wide range of celebs who host live shows on various things to do while stuck at home – DIY crafts, relaxation masks, weekend playlists, live question and answer sessions, fashion try ons, motivational talks, stay at home ideas, cooking shows, and more.

The Tommy sport at-home workout to get people off the couch is cool:

In support of healthcare heroes, Tommy jeans posted a montage of company employees wearing white Tommy tees. The video has over 12,300 views:

Finally, with over 13.2 million likes on Facebook, the TH global community is definitely engaged:

So how is TH nurturing customer relationships?

Overall, Tommy Hilfiger is getting a 49/70 here (70%).

Watch this space for more brand analyses coming your way.

Meanwhile, check out Patagonia: Paving Their Own Path, How Etsy is Crafting Their CRM Practices, and What We Can Learn From Uniqlo’s Communication Efforts.