#HDMH a Movement and a Brand
Marcus Stroman of the Toronto Blue Jays is the CEO and founder of his brand HDMH, which stands for “Height Doesn’t Measure Heart.” Stroman started the brand as a passion project, as the saying is close to his heart. Stroman was told all his life that he wouldn’t be successful as a pitcher in baseball as he only stands 5'8", very short for an MLB level pitcher. Stroman’s counterparts in the same position average a height of 6'2". Marcus is one of six pitchers in MLB history to make it to the big leagues with a height below 5'10" since the early 1900s. Stroman defied the odds and the naysayers and was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2009 draft, coming from Duke University.
“Height Doesn’t Measure Heart” was a saying Marcus always told to himself as he was battling a career in professional baseball; he even has it tattooed on his body. Once Stroman had finally made it to the big leagues he decided it was time to take it to the next level. HDMH had now become his saying, and was prepared to make it part of his overall brand. With the help of his mother, the Stroman’s started an apparel company ran out of the family home. The apparel features sweatpants and hoodies, hats, bracelets, etc.
As a brand, HDMH is extremely successful. Between their Twitter and Instagram accounts they have a following of 26K customers/fans. The brand is frequently promoted on Marcus’ social media platforms which tops 973K followers, as well as his other successful MLB teammates. The brand and Stroman are sponsored by Nike, Air Jordan, Bio Steel, New Era and Rogers- arguably some of the biggest brands in sport marketing.
Part of the reason why HDMH is successful is because it is relatable, and accessible to everyone. If Marcus were to try and make his athletic ability a brand, people wouldn’t be able to relate to being a Gold Glove winner; but average people, they can relate to not feeling like they’re enough, and feeling like they are worth more than their stature, or the media’s portrayal of beauty.
The brand is available to literally everyone, men, women, children, newborns, those who don’t identify. Having categories of clothing that don’t require the customer to identify with a specific category, or having multiple categories for everyone makes the company more approachable and appealing to all kinds of target audiences, not just one.
The brand also stays on top of the trends, and produces what trendy people are looking for. For example, Pop sockets. Pop sockets are a hot item right now and you can find an HDMH stamped one on their website.
The greatest thing about the brand is that you don’t have to be a fan of Marcus Stroman to like the brand, the mission could mean something personal to you. There are fans of Stroman who don’t necessarily relate but purchase from the brand because they support Marcus. I think that gives the brand the best of both worlds because it taps into two different consumer targets.
The brand also makes itself available. Yes, it lives and thrives online, but it has made sure to have a retail presence in the two cities that the brand has the most connection with. Marcus is born and raised in New York, which is one of the fashion capitals of the world, and home to a lot of expressive people. Pop up shops are available in New York for supporters of Stroman and artsy activists. Toronto loves Stroman and Stroman loves the city, and country back. Available on the website are HDMH shirts that feature the Canadian Flag, despite the company being American. Marcus often tweets about how he plays baseball for the whole country of Canada, and how much the Canadian fans mean to him. So, naturally, the brand made itself available to Toronto (the home of Stroman’s team).
The last reason the HDMH brand is successful is because of it’s consistency, and use of social media. The brand (and Marcus himself) are constantly posting the stories of their clients, making the brand more than just about Marcus; making it about a community, making the brand very motivational and likeable. It’s also very smart, reposting photos from customers as it is free advertising that has personal value. It is also exciting to think there is a possibility of your favourite baseball player retweeting you- that in itself is motivation to take part in the movement (and purchasing) as consumers love to feel involved/connected to a brand.
Regardless if you like Stroman, or baseball, or the Blue Jays; even if you think it’s all cheesy, it is clearly loved and needed. The business and the brand is thriving. Self-motivation and confidence is timeless. It’s a theme that I don’t believe will every go away, as self-love is important to different aspects of everyday life: work, school, relationships. If you can’t love and accept yourself first, you’ll have a hard time building a foundation of dreams and goals on top of that.
