Speaking at MAD//Fest London last month, M&S Marketing Director Sharry Cramond shared her insights into the importance of being consistent, bold and unique with your brand messaging, and how this has helped M&S become the “number one most loved and trusted brand in Britain”.

Consistency is key 

All marketers know the importance of having a recognisable and engaging brand voice, but few do it like M&S does. Speaking on bringing back M&S’ iconic line ‘This is not just food’ when she joined the business in 2018, Sharry stressed the importance of “having some creative…some brand assets that are recognisable…because you want to be remembered, but also you want to make sure that your communications are directly attributed to your brand.” 

“It’s about finding your line and then getting after it consistently.”

Cramond also highlighted how M&S communicate value to their consumers through leveraging the phrase “remarkable value”, with a nod to the M&S name, “when you talk about remarkable value, it can only be Marks and Spencer.” 

Whilst marketers are always thinking about the next trend or big creative idea to lean into, Cramond stated that ensuring your creative is rooted in consistency can provide big payoffs with your consumers. 

Leveraging unexpected channels to share compelling and authentic stories

Sharry also divulges how tapping into under-utilised advertising channels such as advertising funded programming for popular multi-series show Cooking With The Stars, and more recently for Tom Kerridge cooks Britain, has helped to enable “deeper messages” to land with consumers. 

By working “in collaboration with the broadcaster about the key messages”, being able to spotlight M&S products and suppliers in a non-traditional way has provided another bold creative opportunity for brand messaging to reach and influence consumer perception. 

Harnessing the power of local social media

Deciding on the right channel to activate and showcase your brand has never been harder, with the choice of channels growing larger all the time. Turning to unexpected avenues however, may be just the thing that gives your brand the edge. As well as utilising the more traditional network of celebrity ambassadors to share “authentic and conversational” picks from M&S’ new products or ranges, Cramond shares how M&S also communicates on a relatable, local level that reaches millions by encouraging stores and employees to post social content - “when local customers see local people who look like themselves saying this is brilliant…it’s a much more believable message.” 

Watch Sharry’s full keynote session here to explore these points and more in detail and also discover:

  • The power of leaning into truly unique stories for your brand messaging
  • How M&S has used and built brand platforms to authentically share core messages around food waste, sustainability and health
  • Building the From Farm to Foodhall series with Tom Kerridge, and how it has evolved from advertising to programming