M&S uploaded three new “Back to School” TV spots to its Facebook Twitter and YouTube channels yesterday, as well as an exclusive online video called “Both Getting Picked”. The ads form part of a campaign, which will focus on all of the memorable milestones that make up an average British child's school life. It does this by focusing on the different stages of education, from your first day at school through to the first time stepping out onto the court for your school's sports team. Each ad showcases the subtle innovations M&S have made in this year's school wear, which make it easier for children to get dressed and help their clothes last longer.
The ads form part of a campaign, which will focus on all of the memorable milestones that make up an average British child's school life
The ads, which were created by Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R and cast non-actors giving unscripted views on their M&S clothing, are all between 20 and 30 seconds long and are titled “Growth Spurt,” “Getting Dressed By Yourself” and “Finding Your Own Style.” They will be airing on nationwide television for two weeks, starting today in Scotland and Northern Ireland and from the 14th of August in England and Wales. The work was created by the art director Nicola Wood and copywriter Andy Forrest, with direction from Si & Ad through Academy. Everything was overseen by RKCR/Y&R chairman and creative director on the M&S work, Mark Roalfe.
The “Both Getting Picked” TV Ad
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, the M&S executive director of marketing and international, says the idea behind the ads that represent their “Return to television this back to school period,” was to create “an inspiring campaign that uses warmth, spontaneity, fun and emotion to tell stories about our unique school wear innovations.” He genuinely believes that these innovations, which are unique to the M&S brand, will help enhance their customers lives, and a lot is resting on that innovation, especially considering how integral school wear is to the M&S brand. Bousquet-Chavanne says that school wear is one of their most popular online purchases, so they have to make sure there is a “Strong digital and social element, ensuring that (M&S) engage with parents in the place they are most active."
The ads will be airing on nationwide television for two weeks, starting today in Scotland and Northern Ireland and from the 14th of August in England and Wales
The ads will be backed up by an integrated digital and social media campaign, which uses the hashtag #everymilestone and arrive at a conflicted time for the M&S brand after it recently reported its 12th consecutive drop in quarterly sales of general merchandise, with trading hit by problems with the M&S website. The brand's chief executive, Mark Bolland, has even admitted himself that the retailer's sales in both the clothing and homeware sectors was simply “Not good enough.”
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK who genuinely loathed his time at school. He still remembers the intense sinking feelings of woe whenever the “Back to School” ads would begin to play during the summer holidays.
