THE BRIEF: Show off new celebrity endorsements - Myleene Klass and Victoria Wood respectively
THE BRIEF: Show off new celebrity endorsements - Myleene Klass and Victoria Wood respectively
THE SCHTICK: Myleene joins the cast list of M&S's models, while Victoria plays trainee baker for a week
THE SCHTICK: Myleene joins the cast list of M&S's models, while Victoria plays trainee baker for a week
THE BREAKDOWN: Once upon a time Marks and Spencer (as it used to be known) self-confidently eschewed the vulgarity of advertising, an activity more suited to those kinds of clothes shops not assured of the patronage of their established clientele.
THE BREAKDOWN: Once upon a time Marks and Spencer (as it used to be known) self-confidently eschewed the vulgarity of advertising, an activity more suited to those kinds of clothes shops not assured of the patronage of their established clientele.
Then it discovered that people rather preferred those kinds of clothes shops. Pretty sharpish, it took to the whole advertising business, rather like a curate discovering space dust.
Then it discovered that people rather preferred those kinds of clothes shops. Pretty sharpish, it took to the whole advertising business, rather like a curate discovering space dust.
With Twiggy, Erin O'Connor and ELO, the image was changed to goodtime girls, horsing around dressing up, looking great and having fun. And, with that, an illustration for business textbooks of a failing brand being turned around was born.
With Twiggy, Erin O'Connor and ELO, the image was changed to goodtime girls, horsing around dressing up, looking great and having fun. And, with that, an illustration for business textbooks of a failing brand being turned around was born.
So what does the addition of Myleene Klass add to the mix? The company's latest film shows Klass joining in the fun with her new pals - Twiggy etc - as they go down to the river for a picnic, accompanied by another feelgood classic, Itchycoo Park by the Small Faces.
So what does the addition of Myleene Klass add to the mix? The company's latest film shows Klass joining in the fun with her new pals - Twiggy etc - as they go down to the river for a picnic, accompanied by another feelgood classic, Itchycoo Park by the Small Faces.
It's pretty harmless stuff, though if the company takes the same approach to showing it as they have with their "This is not just food" ads - ie repeating it until everyone is ready to bash their heads against an Oakham chicken - certain questions will inevitably start occurring in the viewer's mind, including:
It's pretty harmless stuff, though if the company takes the same approach to showing it as they have with their "This is not just food" ads - ie repeating it until everyone is ready to bash their heads against an Oakham chicken - certain questions will inevitably start occurring in the viewer's mind, including:
• Who goes down to a riverbank for a picnic with three changes of clothes? Klass herself has two bikinis, a swimsuit and three dresses. The joke at the heart of the ad (though blink and you'll miss it) is that they've not taken food for their picnic, they've taken clothes to dress up in. Not even M&S food can tempt these girls.
• Who goes down to a riverbank for a picnic with three changes of clothes? Klass herself has two bikinis, a swimsuit and three dresses. The joke at the heart of the ad (though blink and you'll miss it) is that they've not taken food for their picnic, they've taken clothes to dress up in. Not even M&S food can tempt these girls.
• Klass's mischievous glance over her shoulder almost screams "come on down to the riverbank where we can splash about in swimsuits". Can this really be a reference to her infamous I'm A Celebrity shower scene (which left very little to the imagination)?
• Klass's mischievous glance over her shoulder almost screams "come on down to the riverbank where we can splash about in swimsuits". Can this really be a reference to her infamous I'm A Celebrity shower scene (which left very little to the imagination)?
• Beautiful women in nice clothes are a proven winner, but is there a slight air of suggestion here? What is the effect of using Klass's sexuality - and who is it aimed at? Incidentally Klass is expecting her first child in September, and thus doesn't now look quite like she does in the adverts. This might have been considered an inconvenience for M&S, but the company has instead shot a new campaign with the star in her blooming state.
• Beautiful women in nice clothes are a proven winner, but is there a slight air of suggestion here? What is the effect of using Klass's sexuality - and who is it aimed at? Incidentally Klass is expecting her first child in September, and thus doesn't now look quite like she does in the adverts. This might have been considered an inconvenience for M&S, but the company has instead shot a new campaign with the star in her blooming state.
• Is that a wistful look in Twiggy's eye as she sits on the swing?
• Is that a wistful look in Twiggy's eye as she sits on the swing?
• Though they're not the target audience, hardcore motoring enthusiasts will wonder why, in the initial shot of the girls in the car, they are driving a 1950s Simca but in the second shot it has apparently switched to a 60s model.
• Though they're not the target audience, hardcore motoring enthusiasts will wonder why, in the initial shot of the girls in the car, they are driving a 1950s Simca but in the second shot it has apparently switched to a 60s model.
Victorious
Victorious
The Asda campaign, which consists of a series of films shot over a week in which Victoria Wood actually worked in a branch's bakery, has been remarked upon for two reasons in particular: one that it abandons Asda's long-standing signature buttock-slap, and two that it is a move away from emphasising price above all else.
The Asda campaign, which consists of a series of films shot over a week in which Victoria Wood actually worked in a branch's bakery, has been remarked upon for two reasons in particular: one that it abandons Asda's long-standing signature buttock-slap, and two that it is a move away from emphasising price above all else.
Supermarkets have long realised that their customers only really want two things from them - quality and price - and that their advertising needs to reflect that delicate balance. A classic statement of this is "Good Food Costs Less at Sainsbury's" - but practically all supermarket ads are somewhere on this spectrum.
Supermarkets have long realised that their customers only really want two things from them - quality and price - and that their advertising needs to reflect that delicate balance. A classic statement of this is "Good Food Costs Less at Sainsbury's" - but practically all supermarket ads are somewhere on this spectrum.
Incidentally the buttock-slap is one of a very few gestures which are actually registered as a trademark. For the purposes of advertising meat, fish, poultry, game, coffee, tea, bread, and agricultural, horticultural and forestry products, and many others items, Asda "owns" the action of patting one's back pocket to feel how much money is in it (see internet links for more details). Other trademarked gestures include touching the side of one's nose as if to indicate inside knowledge and tipping a bowler hat, which are both registered by building societies.
Incidentally the buttock-slap is one of a very few gestures which are actually registered as a trademark. For the purposes of advertising meat, fish, poultry, game, coffee, tea, bread, and agricultural, horticultural and forestry products, and many others items, Asda "owns" the action of patting one's back pocket to feel how much money is in it (see internet links for more details). Other trademarked gestures include touching the side of one's nose as if to indicate inside knowledge and tipping a bowler hat, which are both registered by building societies.
The style of these films - inspired by reality TV in which celebrities do ordinary things - is refreshingly genuine, and you can see the natural ease with which Wood gets on with people. One advert shows a manager of probably half Wood's age, cheekily telling her and another worker to stop talking and get on with their work. Another shows Wood taking a trolley of fresh loaves around the shop, trying to persuade people to buy it - which she does very sweetly and it's no surprise that customers warm to her.
The style of these films - inspired by reality TV in which celebrities do ordinary things - is refreshingly genuine, and you can see the natural ease with which Wood gets on with people. One advert shows a manager of probably half Wood's age, cheekily telling her and another worker to stop talking and get on with their work. Another shows Wood taking a trolley of fresh loaves around the shop, trying to persuade people to buy it - which she does very sweetly and it's no surprise that customers warm to her.
Wood is obviously a careful choice for the firm. Northern, genuine, approachable, and with her 12th Bafta nomination under her belt this year, a national institution. What better message could the shop choose to send? And, frankly, while Tesco is playing down claims of "Tescopoly" - that its influence is becoming overwhelming - it has used so many celebrities in its adverts in the past couple of years that there must be few still available. Paul Whitehouse is apparently lined up to follow in Wood's footsteps, at the fish counter.
Wood is obviously a careful choice for the firm. Northern, genuine, approachable, and with her 12th Bafta nomination under her belt this year, a national institution. What better message could the shop choose to send? And, frankly, while Tesco is playing down claims of "Tescopoly" - that its influence is becoming overwhelming - it has used so many celebrities in its adverts in the past couple of years that there must be few still available. Paul Whitehouse is apparently lined up to follow in Wood's footsteps, at the fish counter.
For Asda the key phrase comes when Wood is taking a tray of loaves out of the oven and says to the fellow baker that she "thought it was all a bit of a fib" and that she didn't believe that there were bakeries in Asda branches. Ker-ching.
For Asda the key phrase comes when Wood is taking a tray of loaves out of the oven and says to the fellow baker that she "thought it was all a bit of a fib" and that she didn't believe that there were bakeries in Asda branches. Ker-ching.
The notion of celebrity endorsement is as old as the hills, and it's a bit of a wonder that we as consumers of advertising haven't got wise to it yet. We could probably believe that Stephen Fry drinks Twinning's tea, and that Kate Moss shops at TopShop. But do we really believe that David Hasselhoff uses Pipex broadband?
The notion of celebrity endorsement is as old as the hills, and it's a bit of a wonder that we as consumers of advertising haven't got wise to it yet. We could probably believe that Stephen Fry drinks Twining's tea, and that Kate Moss shops at TopShop. But do we really believe that David Hasselhoff uses Pipex broadband?
How much do you, as a viewer, believe that Klass wears M&S and that Victoria buys her bread at Asda? If you do, the ads have succeeded.
How much do you, as a viewer, believe that Klass wears M&S and that Victoria buys her bread at Asda? If you do, the ads have succeeded.
