After last year’s bold and controversial Christmas campaign, Mother has taken M&S back to its old “Magic & Sparkle” formula with a film that captures the transformative effect that Christmas can have over many of us.
All the ingredients are here – cute kid, magical snow globe, sparkly dresses, rousing tune, nifty choreography (by Corey Baker, known for his work on the movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) – all served up with a bit of Mother mischief.
Anna Braithwaite, M&S Clothing & Home marketing director said: “The festive season instils a sense of hope, wonder and joy and this year, we’re taking a playful approach by adding a little fantasy to our Christmas campaign. We have long been known to deliver the magic and sparkle of Christmas for our customers and this season we’re showcasing the very best of M&S.”
Director Elliott Power said: “The excitement of kids at Christmas is infectious, it reminds us what it felt like and it takes us back – this is not just a fashion film but a festive flight of fancy through a child’s eyes, a visual spectacle with a playful tone, with beautiful elevated festive fashion integrated throughout.”
As it’s just responsible for the clothing and home, Mother is free to ditch the gluttonous cliches that some other supermarkets serve up, which comes as a bit of a relief. With first half clothing and home sales comfortably exceeding expectations with 4.7 per cent growth, there’s plenty to celebrate. “Christmas starts here,” as the ad spells out.
MAA creative scale: 7.5
Boots’ campaign from WPP’s The Pharm is similarly festive and playful, although the products are more obviously shoehorned into the action. But the ads are here to sell, after all.
MAA creative scale: 6.5
