Dawn French Double Act Means Maximum Effectiveness for M&S Food

System1, the Creative Effectiveness Platform, today unwrapped the first 5-Star Christmas ad of the season from M&S Food, which is set to air on Tuesday. Their whimsical Christmas brand mascot Fairy has once again captured the hearts of audiences and scored the maximum on Test Your Ad with 5.9-Stars, just like she did in 2023. 

In Test Your Ad, each ad is given a Star Rating from 1-Star to 5.9-Stars, a measure predicting their potential to drive long-term brand growth. In 2023, System1 tested more than 50 Christmas ads and a record-breaking 20 secured 5-Stars, with seven scoring 5.9-Stars, including M&S Food.

This year Fairy, voiced by Dawn French, teams up with the real Dawn French for her on-screen debut, getting her ready for Christmas festivities with a magical makeover. It’s a nod to the classic Christmas episode of her Vicar Of Dibley sitcom as well as a clever acknowledgement of Fairy’s human actor. In System1’s analysis of celebrity appearance in ads they’ve found that the most effective use of star guests is to give them a role which takes what the public know them for and exaggerates it in entertaining ways. In this ad French’s hilarious reaction at seeing her decoration come to life sets the tone for a madcap ad which ends happily with a great Christmas party.

It’s the perfect team up of character and celebrity and viewers love it, giving it the maximum 5.9-Star Rating for long-term effectiveness as well as an Exceptional short-term Spike Rating thanks to strong branding from the first sight of those M&S shopping bags.

“We’re absolutely delighted by the love audiences continue to show our Christmas Fairy, and we’re thrilled to have matched our maximum 5.9 star Test Your Ad score once again this year,” said Robbie Black, head of marketing at M&S Food. “Building on last year’s winning festive formula, we’ve crafted an advert that’s bigger, bolder, and even more entertaining. Fairy has become a true M&S icon that people look forward to seeing, and with Dawn French’s brilliant on-screen debut, this year’s Food ad campaign offers 'Double Dawn', double the humour and double the warmth. We’re excited to share the magic this Christmas, as Fairy sprinkles M&S charm across Christmas gatherings, festive feasts, and those unforgettable moments."

“The Christmas Ad race has begun and M&S Food are already the ones to beat, thanks to their Fairy character and their range of mouthwatering festive treats. To get a maximum effectiveness score two years in a row is an exceptional achievement, and it shows the value of creating a brand character viewers really love. Creative consistency and Christmas magic - it’s a five-star combination” said Jon Evans, chief customer officer, System1.