Marks & Spencer unveils ‘Love That’ YouTube series dedicated to fashion and style
Marks & Spencer has debuted its first episode of a weekly social series on YouTube called ‘Love That’, dedicated to all things fashion and style.
Hosted by celebrity stylist Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe, who counts Stormzy among her most high profile clients, and Capital Breakfast stars Jordan North, Siân Welby and Chris Stark, the series puts the spotlight on M&S’s latest ‘must have’ pieces "with styling advice, fashion know-how and a dose of humour".
The first 15-minute episode is now available to view on M&S’s YouTube channel and takes a dive into the latest Autograph collections across womenswear, menswear and lingerie, with episode 2 set to go live at 8am on Friday 5 September.
Sharry Cramond, Marketing Director for Fashion, Home & Beauty, Loyalty and Masterbrand, at M&S, said: "Love That is all about making M&S fashion fun, social and shoppable. By bringing together the credibility and enthusiasm of Melissa, Jordan, Chris and Siân – all of whom are true fans of the brand - we’re creating a new way for customers to discover our product in a way that’s authentic, entertaining and uniquely M&S.
"It’s another example of how we’re bringing fresh energy to fashion marketing and experimenting with different channels and formats to connect with new and existing customers. We’re so excited to hear the reaction from customers."
M&S approached Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe about hosting ‘Love That’ when an organic piece of content she posted went viral. The M&S jacket featured in her post went on to sell out in under two weeks and helped drive the fifth highest online sales day for M&S, with 100,000 visits to the website on launch day and over 10,000 ‘contact me’ when available requests from customers.
Holdbrook-Akposoe, who is also a fashion, beauty and lifestyle influencer - best known for her ‘Melissa’s Wardrobe’ channel - who has over 379,000 followers on Instagram and 244,000 on TikTok, added: "It's finally here! The project of my dreams. What an honour it is to be a part of this! So excited to be sharing the very best of M&S fashion weekly as well as my tips and tricks on how to style them!"
The series, which features interactive moments, behind-the-scenes insights and exclusive giveaways, is a first for M&S as the retailer continues to double-down on broadening its appeal, reaching new customers and establishing itself as the "go-to" destination for fashion.
It’s also a savvy move in that Jordan North, Siân Welby and Chris Stark attract 2.9 million weekly listeners to their show on Capital Breakfast and have a combined Instagram following of more than 1.5 million.
The series will be supported by cut downs of each episode shared on M&S’s social platforms, as well in-store POS to highlight products featured on the show, an editorial hub, prominence on the M&S website and app, as well as support from the retailer's store social and Insider accounts.
Last week saw M&S launch a new Instagram channel dedicated to men’s style called M&S Man, as it looks to build on its 10.4% market share of the UK menswear market.
M&S credits the ‘Autograph effect’ for driving growth among young customers, and it is now seeking to become "the authority in men’s fashion".
The high street giant is also ramping up its menswear ambassador programme, with a mix of new and familiar faces showcasing the very best of men’s style at M&S.
