M&S launches campaign to celebrate 125th birthday

Marks & Spencer is launching a campaign to celebrate its 125th year on the British high street.

The ad campaign created by RKCR/Y&R is the first work to launch under the retailer’s new brand positioning “Quality Worth Every Penny”. It encompasses TV, print and outdoor advertising. Media was handled by Walker Media, with the campaign breaking tonight (May 18) and running until June 14.

The retailer says the ads will aim to push its continued commitment to providing quality to its customers since its creation in 1884.

The ad will feature and be narrated by British model and face of M&S Twiggy. She first appeared in its commercials in 1967 and has since reprised the role with other celebrity co-stars since 2005.

Steve Sharp, M&S executive director, says: “M&S wouldn’t be what it is today without its customers. Innovation is and always was, at the heart of our business – we constantly try to look for solutions that make life a bit easier and more enjoyable for our customers.”

It follows the launch earlier this month of a new campaign from Sainsbury’s which has also taken a nostalgic approach to its advertising to celebrate its 140th birthday.

Created by Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, the 60-second ad takes viewers through the supermarket’s history.