http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSvre5M-9ao&feature=player_embedded
This ad was filmed on the orient express.
It portrays an image of class within the company. As this ad is geared towards women's clothing it gives a good idea, in part, of the target audience for their Autumn clothing products.
The orient express is an expensive mode of transport that holds a lot of heritage and in doing so has direct links with the idea of high class.
However if taken on the setting alone this ad would possibly portray the negative idea that M&S is an elitist brand. Despite that, through the use of visual language, the ad shows the fun, and good natured attitude of the business and embeds it within the classy setting of the Orient express train.
Defining M&S as an exciting and open company with notes of Class and sophistication.
The Audience.
This ad has given me a good insight (along side other research) into the kind of market M&S are putting themselves, and there for the bracket of customer they hope to attract.
Over the years M&S have chosen to play on various combinations of their 5 key principles (as mentioned previously)
My opinion is that Your M&S is currently aiming to strike a target audience of over 25's (due to the "Class" and there for slightly higher price attached) Narrowing down further to a subdivision of professionals and/or families.
My suggestion comes from a culmination of information gathered from watching different ads, along with visiting the marks in time exhibition. It is the Sophisticated portrayal of the company in its various campaign concepts along with the product range available that I propose the target market I have stated.
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
125 years of M&S Ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4V9K6KtniY&feature=player_embedded#!
The 125 years of M&S ad was put together as celebration of Marks and Spencer's roots and business history.
The ad represents the key principles of the company from the off set. The first note to be made is the representation of service and trust that M&S pride themselves on.
As Twiggy walks through the market and is greeted by a man in the street there is a connection made with the ideals of friendly and helpful customer service, this short section of the ad alone starts to effect the impression that the audience has of M&S.
Twiggy then goes on to talk about innovation, another key principle M&S holds, describing the original aim that Marks had when setting up the penny bazar. She talks about how they had an aim to "change the lives of ordinary Brits". They have chosen to then showcase a few of the most innovative and forward thinking products that they have produced over the years. This gives the ad the ability to relate directly with the audience, delivering the concept of innovation in a very factual way, giving some weight to the earlier phrase and there for concreting it as one of the companies foundations quite successfully.
M&S food is marketed as being of the best quality and in this ad there is no exception. They haven't chosen to use any of their concepts from previous ads (even with their success) but instead just enforced the importance quality holds in the company by using powerful, direct language claiming that "No one goes further to bring you the best possible food at the fairest possible price." This section not only exacts the quality of M&S food, but in doing so presents the good value of the food, and through visual direction implies a fair trade system being supported.
I think the summary section at the end of the ad bares the most representation of the company's principals as it runs across the ethical topic of the environmental responsibilities that M&S tries to uphold and again mentions the innovative nature of the service provided. The way this last section is shot builds up in pace, which is a clever technique because it affects the way the audience receives it. The contrast in speed of delivery in this end section gives it importance and supports the theme of the ad promoting the perception of the company's 5 Key principals.
Sunday, 7 October 2012
M&S food advertising
1970's
During the 70's a lot of women were now working and therefor had less time in the home.
Lifestyles where changing and M&S had to work with this change in order to keep up to date and give their customers what they wanted.
As far as food was concerned the main effect of women working was that there was less time to prepare meals, this is where products like the boil in bag rice and microwave meals began to stand out as innovative and useful.
Microwave's where becoming affordable appliances, that were sold in M&S stores, and this left an opportunity to further promote their use through the sale of products that worked with them.
Microwave meals where becoming an alternative to slaving away in the kitchen for hours over a meal for a dinner party. During this period the british public where becoming more adventurous with exotic foods because the options of travel where becoming so much more widely available, there was less emphasis on food being proudly british and people where open to trying new things. To follow this trend M&S's food products where starting to showcase their diversity, introducing products reflecting the flavours of china and india.
Advertising for the brand during this period was unambiguous, clearly displaying the M&S key principles focusing a lot on quality, price and easy of use. At this point still using the St.michael sub-brand. For example the American style beef burger ad.
2000's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHFKE6PD_6U
M&S Christmas food 2006
I have chosen to make a comparison here because of the clear contrast of some themes. The 2006 ad has been geared toward tradition and british sourced food. Here M&S are trying to showcase their roots of very british origin, during a time of economic boom, where people where much more concerned with quality and appearance than in the 70's ad i previously looked at. This is evident in the luxury displayed in this ad.
It is interesting to see that the ideal of making life easy for the customer with these prepared meals is still evident, however the way they are marketed is completely different. In the 70's ads it was popular to seem to have created a meal with little effort, showcasing the technology used to produce it. However in this modern ad things have reversed and it is the appearance of quality and "home style" handmade cooking that is being emphasised.
During the 70's a lot of women were now working and therefor had less time in the home.
Lifestyles where changing and M&S had to work with this change in order to keep up to date and give their customers what they wanted.
As far as food was concerned the main effect of women working was that there was less time to prepare meals, this is where products like the boil in bag rice and microwave meals began to stand out as innovative and useful.
Microwave's where becoming affordable appliances, that were sold in M&S stores, and this left an opportunity to further promote their use through the sale of products that worked with them.
Microwave meals where becoming an alternative to slaving away in the kitchen for hours over a meal for a dinner party. During this period the british public where becoming more adventurous with exotic foods because the options of travel where becoming so much more widely available, there was less emphasis on food being proudly british and people where open to trying new things. To follow this trend M&S's food products where starting to showcase their diversity, introducing products reflecting the flavours of china and india.
Advertising for the brand during this period was unambiguous, clearly displaying the M&S key principles focusing a lot on quality, price and easy of use. At this point still using the St.michael sub-brand. For example the American style beef burger ad.
2000's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHFKE6PD_6U
M&S Christmas food 2006
I have chosen to make a comparison here because of the clear contrast of some themes. The 2006 ad has been geared toward tradition and british sourced food. Here M&S are trying to showcase their roots of very british origin, during a time of economic boom, where people where much more concerned with quality and appearance than in the 70's ad i previously looked at. This is evident in the luxury displayed in this ad.
It is interesting to see that the ideal of making life easy for the customer with these prepared meals is still evident, however the way they are marketed is completely different. In the 70's ads it was popular to seem to have created a meal with little effort, showcasing the technology used to produce it. However in this modern ad things have reversed and it is the appearance of quality and "home style" handmade cooking that is being emphasised.
M&S key principles
M&S has five major (core) principles that have driven both the direction taken and products that the company has produced for 125 years.
- Quality - M&S strive to promote an image of quality service & products.
- Value - having started out as a penny store, value is a key pillar of the company, while prices have changed, keeping value of service has remained through out the years.
- Innovation - M&S have aimed to keep ahead of the crowd with new products and ideas, helping customers by bringing them useful items (such as the machine washable suit)
- Trust - a theme through out the years has been trust, working both ways between the company and its customers. Running a bazar that opened straight onto the street showed the company as trusting, and the returns policy introduced gives reassurance to the customers.
- Service - M&S are constantly looking at ways to improve the service provided, for example Rayner's reports across the company looking for any flaws to be worked on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)