Gold stars and black marks for M&S
Posted in Advertising, Creative, Nikki Preston, Latest reporters' blogs November 7th, 2007 by Nikki Preston
Stuart Rose and his merry helpers must be full of Christmas cheer this week as the retailer seems to have recovered from a poor summer and disappointing quarter to posting pre-tax profits of 11.5 per cent for the first half of 2007.
Even post- recovery plan M&S has defied the market odds and everything is looking good even its latest Christmas campaign that launches this week and compliments its normal list of leading ladies such as Twiggy and Lizzy Jagger with Hollywood A-list Antonio Banderas.
The ads continue to be stylish and clever, exactly in line with the type of market M&S is looking to attract.
But as even Rose admits “the economic outlook looks uncertain” will the retailer be able to stay on a high?
Certainly as a British success story it should watch its back and perhaps its weaknesses at the moment lie in its food business. After being named the ‘least green retailer’ by the Local Government Authority last week the chain really needs to look at literally cleaning up its act and extend its plans to reduce the use of carrier bags in all its food packaging.
In addition, with its clothing ads doing so well perhaps it time to look at a new format for its commercials and shelve the “It’s not just food its handpicked, smothered in fat, milked from a Jersey cow chocolate” type ads in favour of something less irritating and repetitive.
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Tags Marks and Spencers, Christmas, Retail, Advertising, Creative, Food
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grimble’s comment is....
Thank God I’m not the only one who’s driven to despair by the M&S food porn slots in the middle of ITV dramas they sponsor. They are unwatchable to the point where I have to leave the room. Once you’ve seen them once or twice you get the message, after that there’s nothing new to discover, nothing clever, nothing unexpected, nothing subtle. It’s just the same ‘big clunking’ message (to use a political analogy) rammed down the consumer’s throat (literally) time after time after time. Awful.
Posted November 13th, 2007 at 11:58 am
Melinda Varley’s comment is....
The ad is very creative, I’ll admit it. But what was the point of getting a “Hollywood A-Lister” such as Antonio? He was in the ad for all of two seconds and added nothing to it but shock as to how M&S could commission him.
It was also a bit cheesy - they way it looks like M&S are trying their hearts out to be glamorous. It has nothing on last years and Shirley Bassey’s performance.
Posted November 13th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
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