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These are not just trading results – they’re worse than expected M&S trading results

Posted in General, Advertising, Marketing, Nikki Preston, Latest reporters' blogs January 9th, 2008 by Nikki Preston

Stuart Rose (pictured) may have just been knighted by the Queen, but that doesn’t stop the honoured executive, who was hailed for turning around the struggling retailer three years ago, from being one of the many retailers facing tough times on the UK high street.

It just goes to show even the cleverest of advertising campaigns can’t always work magic and encourage consumers to hand over their hard earned cash.

Rose, who only earlier this year said the retailer had successfully completed its three year turnaround programme, is now faced with tough operating conditions and the lowest like-for-like sales in two years.

This at a time when all retailers were hoping that the festive period would help bolster their full-year trading results and save them from having to face disgruntled share holders with even more bad news.

But what else can M&S do? Should it place more emphasis on reviving its clothing and merchandise offerings or look at growing its successful food offering, which seems to be carrying the business? It just goes to show that while we might all be thoroughly sick of food being dubbed ‘M&S food’, a simple strapline and repetitive message clearly counts for something.

Perhaps the pricey Antonio needs to be scrapped from its clothing ads and instead M&S should launch a campaign simply boasting how great their fashion items are.

To read the news story related to this story, go to mad.co.uk

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Tags Marks and Spencers, Retail, High Street, Advertising, Antonio Banderas

Comments (2)

JunkkMale’s comment is....

Should I ever need to clothe a set of women who like scampering around various modes of public transport in their undies, or remind myself of the days when they really knew how to make recession-struck eras star-studded, they’ll be my first port of call.

So I’d tend to agree that directing the celeb-salaries to knocking a few pence off the goods might be a help pitching to this potential customer rather than giving copy to all their luvvie mates in the ‘meedyah’ industry.

Posted January 10th, 2008 at 3:45 pm

martacaricato’s comment is....

I think it is unrealistic to expect that a great campaign will deliver - no matter what.

I think all M&S campaigns are absolutely great, both for food and non-food products products.

There is a tremendous difference between the two, though.

M&S food delivers what it promises.

M&S clothing doesn’t. Why?

Because teh basics are good quality but pricey.

And every time M&S ventures in the “trendy” side of the fashion biz, they fail miserably.

Cuts are OK, but finishing and fabrics aren’t. They always get some detail totally wrong.

You forgive H&M for these things (although tehy rarely get style details wrong) because you are paying peanuts. With M&S prices, you expect something more than just “acceptable”.

I bought a Dolce and Gabbana coat from www.yoox.com that cost about the same as a M&S coat. I don’t think I am the only consumer that draws comparisons whilst shopping.

Posted January 22nd, 2008 at 6:49 pm

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