UK's M&S sets up Spring Style for holidays and special occasions

Spring Style is the next exciting iteration of the platform. The new campaign demonstrates M&S’s focus on being the destination for shoppers all year round with stylish products that are made with care. Many of the categories M&S is famous for – such as coats, knitwear, and boots - are associated with the winter months. However, as it reshapes M&S has been building product strength in year-round style – with more versatile transitional products such as denim and casual T-shirts where M&S has a leading share position – as well as an emphasis on products for layering including shackets and overshirts.

As part of reshaping, M&S wants to be more relevant, more often to its 22 million customers’ Spring wardrobes, where there’s opportunities to grow in key categories such as casual dresses. The new campaign curates and puts a spotlight on the style & value on offer at M&S.

Great trusted value price point products are highlighted throughout the campaign from the double breasted trench (£35) to the leather flat mules (£39.50). With the British weather remaining unpredictable, products featured have been selected to cover every eventuality from Spring showers (such as the kids’ coral lightweight windbreaker pictured £16) to Spring sunshine, with colourful sunglasses for all the family on display.

The campaign is launching as customers look forward to socialising and get-aways, with holidays and special occasions two of the biggest drivers of clothing purchases. This year, 65 per cent of M&S customers are planning a holiday before August with nearly 80 per cent planning to buy clothes for it and over 40 per cent are already attending a special occasion (such as a wedding) with 70 per cent planning to buy a new outfit, M&S said in a press release.

As we approach Easter, customer searches for holidays are higher than pre-pandemic levels – since January swimwear is the third most searched term on M&S.com. M&S has already responded to this, last month launching its ‘holiday shop’ in-stores and in a prominent position online and on the M&S app – even earlier than pre-covid. The imagery for ‘holiday shop’ has a refreshed creative look and feel with bright, colourful shots that can be found across all channels.

The Anything but Ordinary Spring Style campaign will run across all customer channels from print press ads to Instagram reels, with TV advertising kicking off from tomorrow on major shows including ITV’s This Morning. The 30 second advert features stylish models dancing to "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" by C+C Music Factory ft. Freedom Williams and was created by ODD. It’s a continuation of the playful and energetic style the agency has been creating for M&S Clothing & Home over the past few months following a strong customer response to Anything but Ordinary for autumn and Christmas.

“We’re reshaping the future of M&S Clothing with relevant products for how our customers are living and working in 2022. This Spring our new products are all about offering our customers the very best everyday style, quality & value for a season of socialising – whatever the weather - and all made with quality at the heart of their design – from fabric to fit. Our campaign aims to show this off with a confident, playful, and fun campaign set to an incredibly iconic and feel-good,” Anna Braithwaite, M&S’s Clothing & Home marketing director, said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)