Watch: M&S unveils new Christmas advert featuring Hannah Waddingham and Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Marks & Spencer has unveiled its new Christmas advert with stars including Hannah Waddingham, Zawe Ashton, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and Tan France.
The advert, showcasing M&S's Christmas clothing and home range, is set to a cover of Meatloaf’s I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) re-recorded by artist and singer-songwriter Ray BLK.
Celebrating the honest truth of Christmas, the campaign is inspired by the insight that, for many, it can be a challenge striking the balance between celebrating the things we love about the holidays, and taking on some things we might not enjoy as much but feel obliged to do anyway.
To bring this to life, this campaign invites viewers to embrace only the things they love about Christmas (and skip those they don’t). The campaign line 'Love Thismas (Not Thatmas)' encourages people to join in, deciding what makes Christmas work best for them.
The campaign’s TV ad is set across four different homes, each of which feature a popular British household name – actress Hannah Waddingham, singer and podcast host Sophie Ellis-Bextor, presenter and style expert Tan France, and actress Zawe Ashton – all making a decision on which Christmas traditions they're going to embrace this year (and which ones they're going to skip).
Featuring a series of humorous and irreverent scenes, each can be seen facing an amusing dilemma in a relatable reference to the pressures we often face in the run up to Christmas, and the little things we all do to help make the festive season special for those around us.
Anna Braithwaite, M&S clothing & home marketing director, said: “I’m sure everyone watching our ad will be able to relate to our fabulous cast of talent who so hilariously bring-to-life those little moments and dilemmas we all have at Christmas time!
“Before we created Love Thismas (Not Thatmas), we spoke to hundreds of our customers and they all told us that, at Christmas, they feel this pressure of having to worry about and plan so many things.
"We know it can often feel like the list is never-ending so this year we decided to celebrate and empower our customers to just do the things they love.”
Hannah Waddingham said: "I love the build up to Christmas and all the magic and sparkle that comes with it! If I'm perfectly honest, I'd be happy to start it all in November!
"Getting glammed up and spending time with loved ones and family is something I look forward to the most, so filming this campaign really got me in the festive spirit.
"M&S is always my go-to destination for picking up Christmas gifts and let's not forget the foooood!......so being involved in the campaign has been so special and a great pleasure."
Long-time fan of the brand, Sophie Ellis Bextor said: "My kids all still love the magic of Christmas, so it’s a really exciting time in our household – we love hosting Christmas, so having a house-full is when I’m happiest.
"We’ve got so many Christmas traditions in our family, which we add to each year – it’s always busy for us, and I love it that way! Being able to be a part of one of the biggest TV ad campaigns of the year is so exciting, I can’t wait to see it go live!"
Actress Zawe Ashton said: "Who doesn’t love an M&S Christmas? I’m delighted to be playing a part in the campaign this year – I have a special place in my heart for M&S. I can’t wait to really embrace the season and make the most of every minute with my family."
M&S will also soon launch a second advert showcasing its festive food range.
