Marks & Spencer unveils Christmas marketing campaign

Marks & Spencer (M&S) has unveiled its marketing campaign for Christmas. Peter Kay joins the line-up of M&S models - including Dannii Minogue, Twiggy, and Jamie Redknapp - for a dance themed clothing ad. This year’s M&S Christmas strap line: “Don’t put a foot wrong this Christmas.”

The campaign kicked off at the beginning of November with the first TV airing of the clothing ad and the launch of the microsite.

The much anticipated clothing Christmas TV ad stars one of the nation’s favourite comedians, Peter Kay, alongside M&S models Ana Beatriz Barros, Dannii Minogue, Jamie Redknapp, Lisa Snowdon, Twiggy and VV Brown, in a dance themed ad. Peter Kay is in charge of the celebrity-packed dance troupe, choreographing a medley of iconic dances to the Bee Gees classic, ’You Should Be Dancing’.

Viewers will see Dannii and Lisa in 1920s style flapper dresses dancing the Charleston, and Ana Beatriz strutting her stuff in sexy lingerie. Dannii, Lisa and VV are seen in their pyjamas, singing into their hairbrushes, while Twiggy and Peter Kay tussle for the limelight while dancing dressed in slick tuxedos. Jamie Redknapp stars as a DJ, with Dannii, Ana Beatriz, Lisa, VV and Twiggy in glamorous partywear, shimmying in a 70s style dance off. The final scene sees the entire cast united together and surrounded by over 50 dancing Santas, the scene then cuts to the line, “Don’t put a foot wrong this Christmas.”

The 90 second ad was shot by RKCRY&R and directed by Vaughan Arnell, famous for his collaborations with Robbie Williams, having directed Rock DJ, Angels, Let Me Entertain You and Supreme.

Online, M&S is launching a dedicated Christmas microsite at www.marksandspencer.com/christmashelper, with handy tools to help guide customers through organising their Christmas celebrations.

The dedicated Christmas microsite includes a Christmas gift finder, the Size Detective, which enables customers to anonymously e-mail friends and family to check their size, and a Christmas party and dinner planner.

M&S TV will feature four dedicated Christmas videos fronted by Myleene Klass. A lingerie buying guide, lingerie trends this winter, party wear tips and Christmas party food tips. It will also show the new Christmas TV ads and a behind-the-scenes and outtakes video from the Christmas clothing ad.

Steve Sharp, Marks & Spencer’s Executive Director for Marketing, said: "This is one of the best Christmas campaigns we’ve ever put together. People who have had a sneak preview of the clothing ad reckon this is the best Christmas M&S ad ever. But we will let the customers decide.

“It is very glamorous and lots of fun, truly capturing the spirit of the Christmas party season. I think our customers will really enjoy it, it’s impossible to watch without tapping your feet to it.”

Notes to Editors
Marks & Spencer (M&S) is one of the UK’s leading retailers, with over 21 million people visiting stores each week. M&S offer clothing and home products, as well as quality foods, responsibly sourced from around 2,000 suppliers globally. M&S employ over 75,000 people in the UK and abroad, and have over 600 UK stores, plus an expanding international business.

M&S is the number one provider of womenswear and lingerie in the UK, and are rapidly growing market share in menswear, kidswear and home, due in part to a growing online business. Clothing and homeware sales account for 49% of business with the other 51% of the business in food.

Media Contact:
Laura Davidson,
Marks & Spencer Press Office
Waterside House
35 North Wharf Road
London
W2 1NW
0208 718 6190
www.marksandspencer.co.uk

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Laura Davidson

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Marks & Spencer

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