M&S Ushers in Sienna Miller as Fashion Ambassador to Ignite Growth and Style Revival

Campaign star Sienna Miller

Marks & Spencer is looking to boost its style perceptions by partnering with Hollywood actress Sienna Miller for its latest campaign.

The retailer, which rejoined the FTSE 100 last week for the first time since 2019, has been making significant efforts to revive its fortunes following a prolonged decline spanning almost a decade. With Miller now representing the brand, someone who perfectly embodies the M&S woman, according to Anna Braithwaite, the director of marketing for clothing and home, the retailer aims to bring about a fresh evaluation and generate enthusiasm among its devoted customers.

“We aimed to create an autumn campaign that would resonate not just with our loyal customers, but also capture the attention of women who may not have previously considered M&S,” she states in an interview with Our Website.

Additionally, the brand endeavors to entice customers who only shop at M&S during specific seasons, while also increasing the frequency of purchases among its current customer base.

Braithwaite believes that if [lapsed customers] were to visit our stores, they would be highly impressed with our product. Increasing brand awareness and enhancing perceptions of quality and value are key goals for Braithwaite. However, she emphasizes that the main priority for the business is to improve perceptions of style, as this is currently the biggest obstacle to the brand's growth.

Braithwaite has consistently focused on this aspect since joining the company in June 2021, and she acknowledges the substantial advancements that M&S has achieved. According to reports from YouGov, the brand currently holds the second position in style perceptions among popular high street retailers, a notable rise from its previous ranking of sixth in 2020. However, despite these noteworthy improvements, Braithwaite acknowledges that there is still work to be done.

“We will continue as a brand to always need to push that,” she adds.

The right channels

M&S is strategically considering its media spend allocation to effectively present its product range, according to Braithwaite.

Recently, the brand conducted a research study to identify the most impactful channels in shaping style perceptions. Additionally, it is utilizing marketing mix modeling to determine the optimal placement of its media spend.

"We strive to ensure that every penny we spend serves its intended purpose," says Braithwaite. She explains that the brand has evolved beyond the conventional categorization of channels into those that impact bottom-of-the-funnel activities versus top-of-the-funnel activities. Interestingly, certain channels traditionally considered as driving conversions are actually contributing to enhancing brand metrics such as style perception."

The brand is proactively distributing high-quality content across all its channels and ensuring that the content mix aligns with its objectives. The speaker acknowledges that this process is continuous and constantly evolving. Additionally, the brand is utilizing its valuable insights to optimize the effectiveness of its media investments.

Core focus

Miller is leading the new autumn campaign for M&S's 'Anything But Ordinary' platform. The campaign was initially introduced in 2021 as part of a three-year plan by Braithwaite to restore the retailer's style credibility.

Two years later, Braithwaite and her team still prioritize this aspect. She expresses satisfaction with the platform's seamless performance and affirms the retailer's commitment to it.

According to her, the most successful brand platforms are often those that people are familiar with, enjoy, and constantly encounter. She further emphasizes that, within the grand scope, Anything But Ordinary is still considered relatively new.

Braithwaite notes that while the primary focus is on driving style perceptions, the brand cannot afford to neglect other important aspects such as creating buzz, ensuring quality, and offering value. M&S is consistently rated as the top high street retailer in terms of quality and value.

The retailer has effectively shifted its strategy from relying on price promotions and discounts to providing more consistent value, particularly in areas such as school wear and denim in the clothing department. However, overall, the retailer offers excellent value for money. Customers are aware that they may not always find the cheapest prices at this retailer, but they can expect the best quality for any price range.

M&S, according to YouGov BrandIndex, is not only the top-performing retailer in terms of quality and value perceptions, but it also possesses the highest brand health score among all UK brands assessed by this platform.

The inclusion of M&S in the FTSE 100 index last week has clearly resulted in a boost to these brand metrics, leading to evident commercial success. Although Braithwaite acknowledges the crucial role of marketing in encouraging customers to reevaluate the brand and increase customer visits, she highlights that this is just one of the many success stories within the organization.

Regarding the recent accomplishment of the business in regaining its position among the top 100 listed companies, she shares the same sentiments as CEO Stuart Machin. "It's merely another ordinary day for us, as there are numerous opportunities for us to pursue," she comments. She emphasizes that her attention is currently directed towards preparing for an upcoming "massive season," which includes the release of the first menswear campaign in six years and the anticipation surrounding Christmas.