Marks & Spencer (M&S) is heading into the festive season with an innovative marketing strategy designed to tap into the way customers shop today: digital-first, social-led, and tailored to different shopping moments.
As retailers launch their Christmas campaigns, M&S is breaking with tradition and moving away from the idea of one big hero Christmas ad – which has seen major retailers competing to create the ‘best’ advert in recent years. Instead, it will be rolling out a series of short films and targeted content drops across October, November, and December. Each phase aims to reflect how customers plan their Christmas shopping – starting with gifting, then partywear and hosting, and finally winter style for the New Year.
The campaign has been structured around three key moments – ‘Give the Gift’ (from 23 October), which captures the joy of giving and receiving the perfect present; ‘Host with the Most’ (from 6 November), which showcases festive outfits and home décor; and ‘Get Your Christmas On’ (from 4 December), which features families in M&S winter fashion.
Driving digital engagement
The campaign spans digital, social, print, TV, and out-of-home, but the focus is firmly on digital engagement. M&S has significantly increased its online media spend, with YouTube investment up 67% and digital display and video up 232%. The retailer is also partnering with influencers and ambassadors – including AJ Odudu, Olly Murs, Vogue Williams and Ian Wright – to build on recent viral moments and create buzz throughout the festive season.
Sharry Cramond, M&S Fashion, Home & Beauty Marketing Director, said: “This year’s campaign is rooted in what customers are telling us – how they plan and how they want to celebrate. Rather than focussing on one hero ad and then cutting it down, we’re taking a more contemporary approach with different mini content drops. Each film will showcase the full magic of M&S in a way that feels fun, relevant and – of course – super stylish.”
The move builds on the success of recent social-first activations like M&S Man and Love That, marking a broader shift in M&S’s marketing strategy towards always-on, digital-first engagement.
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