M&S today launched a brand-new customer engagement campaign that harnesses the endorsement power of its 53,000 Foodhall colleagues to shine a spotlight on their favourite M&S Food.
“My M&S Favourite”, which launched in over 1,000 M&S stores across the country today, sees M&S colleagues donning new, personalised badges declaring their favourite M&S products. It will also be supported on shelf décor calling out M&S’ colleague recommendations to customers.
The campaign comes on the back of M&S internal research showing that personal recommendations matter more than anything else when it comes to influencing purchases and that 90% of customers are more likely to buy something that has been recommended to them.
Sharry Cramond, Food Marketing Director, said: “From our much-loved Percy Pigs through to our famous Cornish Cruncher Cheddar, M&S sells amazing food and everyone has their favourite.
“Our colleagues are really proud of the products we sell and, in an era of personalisation, when nothing matters more to our customers than a friendly recommendation, this gives M&S a real advantage.
“We want to have some fun with customers over the summer with this campaign and we’re kick-starting it by using the influence of our people to get the nation talking about their favourite M&S products. And just for the record – mine is our Toffee Shortbread Petticoat Tails which are truly delicious!”
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Notes to Editors:
Making M&S Special
In November 2017 Marks & Spencer set out a five year transformation programme for the business concentrating on Restoring the Basics, Shaping the Future and Making M&S Special.
Under this transformation programme, Making M&S Special, M&S has to date announced:
- A slowdown in the Simply Food store opening programme
- An acceleration of the UK store estate closure programme
- The sale and franchise of its retail business in Hong Kong and Macau
- A new Technology Transformation Programme
- Improvements to its Clothing & Home Logistics Network
- The restructure of the Customer, Marketing & Digital Team
- New customer insight partnership with Starcount
- The appointment of a new Food Managing Director
- The merger of Retail & Property
- New leadership team responsible for overhauling Clothing & Home business
- Corporate marketing teams devolved into the Clothing & Home and Food businesses
People & Structure Changes
Since Steve Rowe became CEO in April 2016, M&S has set about streamlining and changing its operational and leadership structure. The Clothing & Home and Food businesses have been established as two separate businesses, with strong management teams and full P&L accountability.
Additionally, the senior leadership team has been strengthened with senior hires, including:
- David Guise, HR Director, appointed October 2016
- Mel Smith, Strategy Director, appointed May 2017
- Jill McDonald, Clothing & Home MD, appointed October 2017
- Victoria Self, Digital Director, appointed January 2018
- Sharry Cramond, Food Marketing Director, appointed January 2018
- Lawrence Christensen, Independent Advisor on Supply Chain, appointed March 2018
- Julian Richer, Independent Advisor on Culture Change, appointed March 2018
- Stuart Machin, Food MD, appointed April 2018
- Wes Taylor, Menswear Director, joining May 2018
- Jill Stanton, Womesnwear & Kidswear Director, joining July 2018
- Humphrey Singer, CFO, joining July 2018