Published
Nov 14, 2016
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M&S Christmas ad focuses on core customer via Mrs Claus

Published
Nov 14, 2016

M&S may be struggling on the sales front but its Christmas advertising has won positive reviews from critics, while getting a mixed reception on social media.

Award-winning actress Janet McTeer is Mrs Claus in M&S Christmas ad


Unveiled on Friday night during popular reality show Gogglebox, it has been created in line with the retailer’s new focus on core customer “Mrs M&S” and her family. The festive season ad is built around the Christmas Eve activities of 55-year old Mrs Claus.

Directed by Tom Hopper, who also directed films 'The King’s Speech' and 'Les Misérables', and starring award-winning actress Janet McTeer, the cinematic ad starts with Santa Claus being sent off for his night’s work by his wife. After he has gone, she opens a letter from a young boy desperate find a pair of trainers to replace the ones belonging to his big sister that his dog chewed up. Mrs Claus locates some, delivers them in person via helicopter, eats some mince pies and leaves.

Needless to say, everyone is happy the next day with brother and sister now the best of friends, while Mrs Claus gets home to greet her tired husband who doesn’t even know she ever left the log cabin.

Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, executive director of customer, marketing and M&S.com, said the Mrs Claus character is the result of thousands of conversations the retailer had with its customers to understand what they want from the chain “which is warmth, empathy and a touch of humour presented in a modern and contemporary way.”

He said she epitomises the “huge efforts our customers put in to making the festive season special and represents the love and togetherness that customers want to feel and see in abundance at Christmas.”

The company is running the ad, created by RKCR/Y&R on TV, but also investing in social media and it has its own custom-created emoji. Store staff will also be encouraged to carry out 15,000 acts of “Mrs Claus kindness” and M&S has linked up with Channel 4 to have McTeer as Mrs Claus offering Christmas style, decoration and party tips.

The M&S Christmas 2016 ad

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