Marks & Spencer

Fusing a classic ‘British’ brand image with local flair.

Client:  
Marks & Spencer

Category: 
Retail & Fashion

Scope:
no copy

The Challenge:

Marks & Spencer sought to shape and future-proof its global brand positioning by blending its iconic ‘British’ identity with locally resonant meaning across international markets.

The challenge lay in understanding how global consumers perceive ‘British style’ and how to translate that perception into relevant, emotionally engaging communications. M&S needed to gain a deeper understanding of consumer realities, purchase drivers, and competitor dynamics across key markets including Germany, India, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia — all while ensuring global consistency without losing local nuance.

The Approach

HarrisX designed a comprehensive comms testing and cultural insight program to help M&S define a truly international marketing strategy.

Conducted deep qualitative fieldwork to understand international consumer perceptions.

Designed immersive multimedia tasks to reveal how consumers define and interpret ‘British style’.

Applied light-touch quantitative testing to capture System 1 (emotional and instinctive) reactions to brand communications.

The Results

This research enabled M&S to balance its global heritage with local relevance, shaping a more inclusive and resonant brand strategy.

No Copy

Develop a robust understanding of international consumer realities and cultural nuances.

No Copy

Create an optimized global communications strategy rooted in local insights.

No Copy

Deliver messaging that resonates emotionally and achieves greater cut-through across diverse markets.

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