BITE Insight

M&S’s latest campaign, Spend It Well, created in conjunction with Valenstein & Fatt (otherwise known as Grey London) is an uplifting reminder that life is short, so you should make the most of it. It establishes the idea that you don’t have to change the big things in life, but that you should wear the clothes that you save for special occasions; that you should avoid comparing yourself to others; and that you should eat the food that makes you feel good.

In our saturated, fast-paced world, we need to focus on the quality of our experiences, rather than the quantity. The campaign has been designed to have a multi-generational appeal because a belief in making the most out of life is not age specific.

The 60 second TV ad is the first time M&S have advertised food and clothing under the same slogan, ‘Spend it Well’, replacing the original ‘Only M&S’. The brand and creative agency wanted to create a slogan that became an active call to action, rather than a passive declaration: “After all, we only get one life. Let’s Spend It Well”. It creates more of a cultural point of view for the brand, encouraging people to re-think M&S. The slogan puts the customer at the heart of the brand, focusing on making customer experience the priority.

The ad features women of all ages in everyday situations, making empowering practical and emotional decisions and is narrated by the renowned British actor Helen McCrory, with David Bowie’s Rebel Rebel as the soundtrack. The campaign debuted on social channels before the TV ad was shown, demonstrating the brand’s move into a predominant use of digital platforms to start, and maintain, a conversation with their customers.

It is interesting that the campaign centres around the use of the word no: “It isn’t always about saying yes. Sometimes it’s about having the conviction to say no”. There is an age old conviction that telling people not to do something results in them wanting to do that one thing all the more strongly. It is this conviction that the slogan taps into. M&S are endeavouring to appeal to the undercurrent of rebellion that is being stirred up through ads around the world, whilst also inspiring a renewed love of their brand.