H&M Grand Opening – North Macedonia
Planned and managed the integrated marketing campaign for the launch of H&M's first store in North Macedonia. Led the project from planning through execution, coordinating ATL, BTL and digital marketing activities while managing multiple stakeholders to deliver a high-profile retail opening that generated significant public interest and increased shopping mall footfall.
Client
H&M
Role
Project Manager
Timeline
3 months
The Challenge
The opening of H&M represented one of the largest retail launches in North Macedonia and required a fully integrated marketing campaign to generate nationwide awareness while ensuring a smooth opening-day experience. The project involved coordinating advertising across multiple ATL, BTL and digital channels while working closely with H&M, the shopping mall and external suppliers. A key challenge was managing the large expected visitor turnout by aligning promotional activities with the mall's operational protocols and crowd management procedures.
KPIs
- Brand awareness
- Event attendance
- Shopping mall footfall
- Social media engagement
- Campaign reach
- Successful event execution
My Role
As Project Manager, I was responsible for planning and coordinating the entire campaign from concept to execution.
- Developing the overall campaign strategy
- Creating the project timeline
- Coordinating ATL and BTL activities
- Managing communication between H&M and the shopping mall
- Coordinating external suppliers
- Managing campaign deadlines
- Coordinating the project team
- Overseeing Meta advertising
- Monitoring campaign execution
- Managing opening-day operations
Project Team
The project was delivered through close collaboration with a cross-functional team consisting of:
- BTL Coordinator
- Mall Commercial Coordinator
- Graphic Designer
- Meta Ads Specialist
Campaign Strategy
The campaign combined traditional advertising, digital marketing and experiential marketing to maximise awareness before the opening while building excitement leading up to launch day. The communication was divided into several phases.
Phase 1 — Awareness Campaign
Objective: Announce H&M's arrival and generate anticipation.
Communication:
- Billboards
- Megalights
- City Lights
- Bus advertising
- Shopping mall advertising
- Organic social media
- Meta Ads
Phase 2 — Opening Countdown
Objective: Build excitement and remind customers of the official opening date.
Communication:
- Organic social media
- Meta Ads
- Mall advertising
- Radio advertising
- Outdoor advertising
Phase 3 — Grand Opening Event
Objective: Deliver a successful launch experience while managing large visitor numbers and maximising media attention.
The event was organised jointly by H&M and the shopping mall, following strict mall operational procedures and crowd management protocols. Activities included:
Communication:
- Event coordination
- Opening ceremony
- Crowd management coordination
- Live social media coverage
- On-site brand activation
- Coordination with mall management
Communication Channels
The campaign combined ATL, BTL and digital marketing to achieve maximum market coverage.
ATL Advertising
Activities included:
- Billboards
- Megalights
- City Lights
- Radio advertising
- Bus advertising
BTL Marketing
Activities included:
- Shopping mall advertising
- In-mall branding
- Point-of-sale materials
- Event branding
- Opening-day activations
Organic Social Media
Activities included:
- Opening announcements
- Countdown content
- Store previews
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Event-day coverage
- Post-event highlights
Meta Ads
Activities included:
- Awareness campaigns
- Local audience targeting
- Creative optimisation
- Budget management
- Performance monitoring
Project Management
To ensure successful delivery, I developed a detailed execution plan covering:
- Campaign timeline
- Creative production deadlines
- ATL media schedule
- BTL implementation
- Digital campaign launches
- Stakeholder coordination
- Supplier management
- Opening-day operations
- Event logistics
- Team responsibilities
Results
- Successfully delivered one of the largest retail launch campaigns in North Macedonia.
- Coordinated ATL, BTL and digital marketing activities across multiple channels.
- Achieved high public awareness and strong attendance on opening day.
- Contributed to a significant increase in shopping mall footfall following H&M's arrival.
- Successfully coordinated multiple stakeholders, suppliers and project team members to ensure seamless campaign execution.
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