M&S Wins The UK’s Top Storytelling Retailer Title

Everybody appreciates a good yarn and storytelling has been at the heart of human communication since the beginning of time. It comes to no surprise businesses use storytelling to build coherent narratives around their brands and everything it stands for, establishing connections and long-lasting relationships with the consumer. Christmas time is an important time of the year for brands to tell their stories and win consumers hearts as well as their wallets.

Retailers around the world compete to weave the most heart-warming and emotionally charged tales around their brands to win over their consumers. Creative agency Aesop decided to create a study of the UK’s 100 best storytelling brands and M&S claimed the prize as the UK’s top storytelling retailer, climbing 14 places to 20th. Two thousand consumers participated in the study and were asked to identify brands with the most powerful storytelling attributes - authenticity and emotional response. M&S scored highest with 20% of respondents suggesting the retailer evoked strong emotional responses. With Paddington bear starring its Christmas campaign, M&S brings together everything that makes them who they are.

Aesop’s director of narrative, Ed Woodcock says, “M&S has gone up the ranking because it has been investing in telling its brand story. In these uncertain times, long-trusted and authentic brands like M&S benefit. The ‘Spend It Well’ campaign has a clear message about grabbing life with both hands, which consumers have responded well to.”

M&S succeeded in narrating a seamless story that builds credibility. Woodcock adds: “It helps develop a sense of purpose around what the brand is for and what it stands against and that is reflected often in the attitudes of employees, which people pick up on. Internal culture built around the purpose of an organisation gives employees motivation to perform well and consumers notice that.”