M&S Challenges John Lewis With Its Playful Christmas Ad

Marks & Spencer has entered the battle for Britain’s most talked-about Christmas advertisement with a playful festive campaign featuring actor James Norton as a muscular, shirtless Santa Claus, setting up a lively contest with long-time advertising rival John Lewis. The new advert, which also stars Lucy Punch as Mrs Claus, combines humour, celebrity appeal and seasonal shopping in an attempt to capture the attention of consumers during one of the most important periods of the retail calendar.

For many years, John Lewis has enjoyed a strong reputation for producing Christmas advertisements that become major cultural events. Its campaigns, often built around emotional storytelling, memorable music and family relationships, have helped establish the department store as one of the most recognisable names in Britain’s festive advertising season. However, M&S is increasingly determined to challenge that position by presenting a different kind of Christmas experience.

This year’s campaign has attracted particular attention because of Norton’s appearance without a shirt, wearing only a white M&S cotton towel around his waist. The image has circulated widely online, prompting humorous reactions and comparisons with the traditional image of Santa Claus. Men’s Health magazine described him as a “shredded Santa”, suggesting that the familiar mince-pie physique associated with the festive character had received a modern makeover.

The campaign has also drawn comparisons with John Lewis’s latest Christmas advert, which features Kristin Scott Thomas as a glamorous grandmother attempting to transform a room in her large home into a playful personal space for her grandchildren. While both retailers are using well-known actors to attract viewers, their approaches to festive storytelling differ considerably.

John Lewis has traditionally relied on emotional narratives designed to create a strong connection with audiences. Its latest campaign continues that approach, although the portrayal of an affluent lifestyle has attracted criticism. Some viewers have questioned whether the large townhouse and seemingly ungrateful grandchildren reflect the financial realities facing many British families.

M&S, by contrast, has opted for a more energetic and humorous approach. Norton and Punch portray a younger version of Mr and Mrs Claus, with the story exploring what happens when Santa decides to experience Christmas away from his familiar identity.

In the advert, Norton plays an undercover Santa who removes his beard so that he can enjoy the excitement of the festive season without being recognised. Punch portrays a rather snobbish Mrs Claus, bringing a comic personality to the character that draws on her experience playing similar roles in television comedy.

The couple move through different Christmas settings, including a dinner party and a children’s carol service, while discovering the food, fashion and small traditions that make the season memorable. Their experiences are designed to communicate a central message: Christmas is not simply about expensive presents but also about spending time with other people and sharing enjoyable moments.

The campaign nevertheless has a clear commercial purpose. M&S has incorporated its fashion, food, beauty and homeware businesses into a single advertising production, rather than creating separate campaigns for each division. The retailer last adopted a similar combined approach in 2017.

The strategy allows the company to showcase a broad selection of products while presenting a consistent festive identity. Items featured in the advertisement, including Punch’s pyjamas, Norton’s towel and the food served during the scenes, are available through the retailer. The campaign therefore connects the emotional appeal of Christmas with the practical task of encouraging consumers to shop.

Food also plays an important role in the advert. Norton recalled seeing hundreds of prawn cones during filming, highlighting the attention given to festive products and the smaller details that contribute to the campaign’s atmosphere. By combining food with clothing and homeware, M&S is attempting to demonstrate that its retail businesses can work together as part of one recognisable brand.

Gurjit Degun, creativity and cultural editor at advertising and marketing publication Campaign, described the advertisement as playful and humorous without becoming excessive. Her assessment reflects the challenge facing retailers during the festive season: producing something distinctive enough to attract attention while ensuring that the campaign remains relevant to a broad audience.

Norton said the script appealed to him because it combined humour with respect for the traditional meaning of Christmas. He also praised director Shannon Murphy, whose previous work includes television and film projects such as Killing Eve and Babyteeth. Norton said he trusted her ability to deliver the right tone and described her as a director whose creative approach he admired.

Although Norton said he usually enjoys traditional Christmas advertisements that make audiences emotional, he believes the M&S campaign still captures the deeper meaning of the season. He pointed to the importance of connection, friendship and shared experiences, suggesting that the advert’s humour does not prevent it from communicating a sincere festive message.

Punch also welcomed the lighter approach. She said she wanted the campaign to offer enjoyment and fun rather than another emotional Christmas story. Her comments reflect a desire to give viewers a break from the more sentimental advertisements that often dominate the festive season.

The competition between M&S and John Lewis is taking place at a difficult time for Britain’s retail industry. Households continue to face pressure from the cost of living, while retailers are competing for a limited amount of consumer spending. Christmas is therefore an important opportunity for businesses to attract shoppers, strengthen brand loyalty and improve sales performance.

For M&S, the campaign comes as the retailer continues its recovery from a major cyberattack in 2025. The incident forced the company to close its website for more than six weeks and reportedly cost it more than £100m. The disruption affected its operations and created a significant challenge for a business that has been working to strengthen its position across food, clothing and home products.

A successful Christmas campaign could help reinforce the retailer’s renewed brand identity and encourage customers to engage with its wider range of products. The company has increasingly sought to present itself as a destination for both food and fashion, rather than allowing those businesses to appear disconnected.

John Lewis is also facing pressure to strengthen its retail performance. The department store has been dealing with higher operating costs and weaker consumer confidence, making the Christmas period particularly important for its efforts to reconnect with shoppers.

Jonathan De Mello, founder of JDM Retail consulting, said the casting of Kristin Scott Thomas reflected the type of customer John Lewis was seeking to attract. He described the approach as strategically sensible because the actor represents an affluent audience with disposable income, including consumers who may have paid off their mortgages and have greater spending flexibility.

However, De Mello warned that the strategy could also create a distance between the retailer and parts of the wider market. A portrayal of a comfortable, wealthy lifestyle may appeal to some customers but could feel unattainable to younger consumers facing expensive housing, financial uncertainty and limited disposable income.

This concern highlights a wider challenge for established retailers. Advertising must communicate aspiration without making ordinary consumers feel excluded. A campaign that focuses too heavily on luxury or wealth may attract attention but risk weakening its connection with people whose everyday financial circumstances are very different.

De Mello viewed the M&S campaign as a reflection of the retailer’s broader business transformation. He said the company had previously struggled to bring its food and fashion operations together under a coherent identity, but that the two areas were now more closely aligned.

The new advertisement reinforces that direction by placing clothing, food, beauty and homeware within one festive story. Its younger and more humorous presentation also appears designed to appeal to consumers who may not traditionally have considered M&S a destination for every aspect of Christmas shopping.

The wider significance of the advertising contest lies in how Britain’s retailers are adapting their messages to changing consumer expectations. Emotional storytelling remains important, but humour, celebrity appearances and social media attention are increasingly powerful tools for attracting audiences. At the same time, retailers must demonstrate that their products offer value and relevance in a challenging economic environment.

Neither advertisement will be judged solely by how many people watch or discuss it. The ultimate test will be whether the campaigns encourage customers to visit stores, shop online and spend money during the festive period.

For M&S, the shirtless Santa has already created a distinctive talking point, while John Lewis continues to draw on its established reputation for emotional Christmas storytelling. The two approaches represent different ways of competing for public attention, but both are built around the same commercial ambition: making their brands part of Britain’s Christmas experience.

As the festive shopping season gathers momentum, the contest between the retailers will provide an indication of which style of advertising resonates most strongly with consumers. Whether shoppers prefer a traditional emotional story or a humorous modern Santa, the competition demonstrates how important Christmas advertising has become to Britain’s major retail brands.