The 2025 Marks & Spencer Christmas Ad Is a Major Missed Opportunity.
The Christmas ad season is a true battleground for the nation’s best brands, and this year, I expected Marks & Spencer to deliver a knockout blow. The high street giant has been, quite rightly, dominating headlines in 2025.
But having watched their new Christmas TV campaign, featuring the return of Dawn French as the famous M&S Fairy, I can only express my disappointment. It is far too risk-averse, settling for comfortable familiarity when the rest of the business is anything but.
The Year M&S Found Its Edge
This is the year M&S showed its true resilience and modern credentials.
First, they suffered a massive cyber attack that nearly wiped out their first-half statutory profits, costing the business an estimated £136 million just in immediate recovery. To weather that storm and quickly state that second-half profit will be “at least” in line with the previous year is a phenomenal recovery story. It shows the company is dynamic and forward-thinking.
Second, their Women’s Clothing & Home division has been making genuine waves. M&S has achieved its highest-ever style ranking with UK shoppers aged 18-54, and headlines have consistently praised its fashionable, modern linees. From on-trend partywear to stylish knitwear. M&S has moved beyond being known for ‘knickers and classics’ and established itself as a true fashion destination.
In the face of this powerful narrative – resilience, modernity, and a rediscovered fashion edge – I expected the Christmas advert to be an explosive culmination. Instead, we got a familiar traffic jam, a magical fairy and a lot of party food. While Dawn French’s presence sells the fabulous M&S food range effectively, it’s a nostalgic, safe bet when M&S had a chance to be bold, digital and fashion-forward.
The Secret Weapon They Should Have Used
M&S themselves identified their “secret weapon” earlier this year: their own colleagues.
The “Insiders Programme,” which turns everyday store colleagues into trusted brand influencers, is one of the most innovative approaches to social media on the high street.
Authenticity
Colleagues like visual stylist @marksandspencer_emmas and section manager @marksandspencer_sam are closer to the product. They possess better knowledge, and, most importantly, are seen by customers as ‘people like me.’
Results
This strategy is proven. The Insiders drive higher customer sentiment and encourage more customers to shop compared to conventional influencer posts. It’s working to bring “M&S products to life” and “drive style perceptions.”
The Insiders strategy perfectly encapsulates the modern M&S. Imagine a Christmas campaign that wove the glamour, style, and authenticity of these real-life experts into a single, major TV spot. A campaign that said, “This is the new M&S, led by the people who know you best.”
The decision to lean on the familiar celebrity fairy for the main festive spot is, ultimately, a retreat from the very innovation and courage that has driven M&S’s recent success.
It is disappointing to see the retailer, which has expertly used its colleagues to attract a new generation of shoppers, fall back on a decades-old formula. The Dawn French campaign is perfectly charming. However, for a brand that is truly ahead of the game in 2025, ‘charming’ feels far too comfortable.
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