M&S will take a “more modern and relevant approach” to its 2025 Christmas clothing and home campaigns, moving away from a single hero ad to releasing chunks of product-first content throughout the season.

The retailer says the shift mirrors how customers actually plan and purchase by focusing on three “festive shopping missions”, each supported by films and tailored content across channels.

Sharry Cramond, M&S Fashion, Home & Beauty Marketing Director, said: “ We realised that we were considering Christmas shopping missions too holistically. Customers don’t think or shop that way – everything all at once. Our research showed us that customers tend to shop in phases across the period, starting with gifting and moving on to parties and then hosting at home.”

“Rather than focussing on one hero ad and then cutting it down, we’re taking a more contemporary approach with different mini content drops. Each film will showcase the full magic of M&S in a way that feels fun, relevant and – of course – super stylish,” Cramond added.

Delivered across digital, social, print, TV and out-of-home, M&S says the strategy has been developed to “meet customers where they are – whether scrolling, streaming or shopping” – to create a continuous drumbeat of festive inspiration.

The campaign marks a broader shift in M&S’ marketing approach, moving towards a more social-first strategy that builds on the success of recent digital-first activations, including M&S Man and its shoppable YouTube series, Love That.

While TV, print and out-of-home remain key channels, M&S says it is doubling down on more frequent, targeted content drops across social, designed to drive engagement and relevance all year round.  

To amplify reach, M&S is also partnering with a mix of ambassadors to build on recent viral product moments to drive engagement throughout Autumn/Winter.  

To maximise visibility and impact, M&S has also significantly increased its digital media investment. Throughout October, November and December, YouTube spend is up 67%, reflecting the role it plays in discovery and inspiration. Digital display and video spend is up 232% to ensure shoppable, high-impact placements across platforms.