M&S, Chocolate knickers, and the UK's 'Christmas Culture'

It seems M&S resorted to a good old bit of British sleaze to add the wow-factor to their Christmas ad campaign this year.  Philip Glenister's demand to see 'that girl prancing around in her knickers' was designed to appeal to the nostalgic, middle-aged male buyer of inappropriate underwear for 'the mrs', but caused a sexism row that resulted in an investigation by the Advertising Standards Agency.  The ad was cleared, but what was the thinking behind this risky strategy for the usually uber-conservative M&S?

The casting of Glenister was, of course, an inspired choice.  His character from Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes reminding us how different life was in the 70s and 80s.  Benny Hill...Carry on films...if it was alright back then, why isn't it alright now?  In my view this is the key to the ad's success - it hits exactly the right note with many of M&S's customers.  The sad thing is that it also highlights just how entrenched our gender stereotypes are - particularly when placed in the context of 'Christmas in Britain'.

Ok, lets break this down a little and take a look at some of the iconic figures of the UK's 'Christmas Culture'.

#1 The incompetent male

We're bombarded with ads at this time of year aimed at men who are portrayed is incapable of buying a thoughtful gift for their partners.  We're all still buying into the stereotype that every man's brain turns to jelly when it comes to gift buying - and how wonderfully comforting and convenient this must be for men.  The pressure is off - you're allowed to rush out to the nearest service station on Christmas Eve and buy your wife a box of Roses because that's all that's expected of you.  The bar is set so low, that Thorntons is considered a result.   If anything this idea is as sexist as the portrayal of the 'prancing' model - how patronising to the many men who do put thought and effort into buying gifts?

#2 The time-starved mum

Another key figure in our Christmas panto is the downtrodden Mum.  She has so much to do in the run up to Christmas that she hasn't a moment to herself.  The most important thing she has to do (of course) is shop. Shop for Christmas dinner, shop for gifts, shop for parties, shop, shop and shop some more.  The time-starved mum is another cultural creation whipped up by advertisers to keep women buying until their credit cards can take no more.

and finally..

#3 The Christmas Fairy

Not only do us girls have to rush around buying food and gifts, but we also have to be the Christmas fairy.  Hair, nails and looking cute in cashmere scarves and furry boots.  We have to be airbrushed Twiggy or perfect Mylene, or look like Noemie Lenoir in our knickers.  Well that's a tall order...but who knows...if we shop at M&S that Christmas magic might just happen...

We're all as guilty as each other of buying into these myths, and who can blame M&S for cashing in?  My personal reaction to the ads was mild disgust, but I'm (hopefully) not their target so that's of no consequence. It was a risk, but a calculated one.  Well done M&S and well done Stuart Rose for going out with, if not a bang, a bit of fizz...

Watch the ad

The Joy of...BMW?

BMW's latest campaign by agency Dare is predicated on the idea that you buy a BMW for the 'joy' of it...hmm... is it me or does this just seem...well...wrong?

Joy in a Jar

The whole concept that 'joy' is at the heart of any decision to buy a BMW seems to jar with their long held positioning based on status and quality.  I know the campaign was originally commissioned for the launch of their new improved Z4 (which incidentally does look so much better than its Batmobile predecessor), but the extension to the whole product range just simply doesn't ring true for me.

Keeping up with the Joneses

People don't buy a BMW for the fun of it.  If they want fun they buy a Mini (which begs the question of whether BMW just applied the campaign to the wrong part of the company..?)  The truth is, people buy a BMW to impress other people.  You may argue; but in your heart of hearts BMW driver, you know it's true.

So why do it? 

Trying to reposition a major brand in one of the worst slumps the car industry has ever seen is a brave move, but perhaps it's seen as a necessity.  Maybe the idea is that we all need cheering up because of the recession, -so buying a BMW is a treat that will make us feel better. The danger here is that you end up with an extremely confused brand proposition that doesn't actually meet the needs of any of your customer groups.  Showing a picture of old beamers at an owner's rally just doesn't have the same charm as it would if they had all been owners of a Ford Capri, and is likely to call in to question the exclusivity that's been a part of the BMW brand architecture for decades.

C'mon - buy a Beamer, it's fun!

BMW seem to have chosen a positioning somewhere between the cheaper brands that offer 'fun' (e.g. Mazda's 'zoom zoom', Vauxhall Corsa's 'C'mon'), and the mid life crisis cars (e.g. Porsche), but who is their customer? What does the joyful BMW driver look like? And can they maintain their price premium in this market space?  Who knows, but sometimes the boldest moves can be the most successful.  You never know, next week when the economy has recovered (!) we might all be going out and buying BMWs in crazy colours for the sheer joy of it...

"Yes Pecan!" The Obama Brandwagon Gathers Pace

With this week's inauguration stirring Obamania to new heights the marketers are wasting no time in aligning their brands to the new president's as yet untarnished image. From ice cream to Ikea furniture, Obama-themed campaigns are springing up all over the US and beyond.

So, is this a sound strategy? What are the potential risks and rewards for those brands aligning themselves with the new administration? And what lessons can we learn from history?

As Obama himself says, there are tough times ahead. What happens if the shine wears off the presidency and a backlash comes. What then for those brands firmly linked to Obama? Back in 1997 plenty of brands picked up on the mood of public optimism that came with the New Labour government's rise to power, but soon jumped ship when the backlash started - but was there any damage done? Hard to say, but for musicians (e.g. Oasis) and public figures who were staunch supporters of Blair, there was undoubtedly a hangover in terms of their public image.

However, right now it looks as though it's a risk worth taking, especially in FMCG markets where campaign turnover is fast and brands are struggling to maintain revenues. However, there is a risk of saturation and those brands who are quickest off the mark and most creative will undoubtedly reap the greatest rewards.

Also important is the need for relevance and a real sense that the campaign and brand values reflect those of the administration and the mood of the nation. Reported in The Guardian yesterday, the chairman of M&C Saatchi Worldwide, Moray McLennan gave this caution:"When it is done with intelligence and wit, then people can like it. But if there is no particular reason for a brand to be connected to Obama, then people will see through that, and superficial marketing strategies don't work. They can backfire."

So what are the keys to a successful Obama campaign?

• Speed - you need to be the fastest off the block in your sector...if you're seen to be bandwagoning the bandwagon this could do more harm than good. In fact, you're probably already a bit late, but never mind there are still probably some gains to be had.
• Creative - your creative needs to be spot on to avoid over-politicising your message. Partisan messages won't work, tap into the public mood instead. Humour will work.
• Make it worthy - linking your brand to the public mood but also showing a contribution to the cause is a winner (see 'The best of the campaigns' below).
• Beware the backlash - make sure you are not relying on this as a long term campaign plan. The public mood could shift and you need to be ready to move on - again, linking to the mood instead of the man is a better bet here.
  

The best of the campaigns:
Ben & Jerry's have taken all of the elements above in their latest campaign which kicked off with a naming competition on 'Digg' which resulted in the development of their 'Yes Pecan' ice cream (above) - a short term promotion from which donations will be made to an Obama cause. This integrated campaign has all the ingredients of a successful Obama campaign, and poses the minimum long term risk to the brand.

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