M&S Takes Commuters to Summer Paradise with Sun Lotion Scented Oxford Circus Takeover

M&S has unveiled a new multi-sensorial out-of-home takeover of London’s iconic Oxford Circus Tube station, as part of its recently launched Summer 2024 campaign. The push, which was developed in partnership with Mother Design and Mother London, is part of the retailer's journey to broaden appeal and elevate style perceptions. 

Following the launch of a bold, colourful TV spot featuring the iconic track 'Pump up the Jam' by Technotronic, the brand is unveiling a similarly vibrant takeover of Oxford Circus Tube station. Film content appears on screens next to bright pink vinyl-wrapped floors, blue sky-coloured ceilings and eye-catching posters, all showcasing the M&S summer collection. 

The posters’ art direction seeks to bring to life the feeling of freedom, whilst mixing in elevated style and a sense of fun. Poised facial expressions are juxtaposed with the playfulness of the styling and inflatable props.

The activation aims to transport commuters away from their daily commute to an M&S summer paradise, through a multi-sensorial approach, based on the insight that by engaging multiple senses, brands can create a more immersive and memorable experience.

With scent being a particularly powerful tool to drive brand recall, M&S has added the evocative scent of sun lotion to the posters, making it the first time an OOH campaign at Oxford Circus has used the distinctive smell.

The out-of-home ads were created using media owner Global’s Aromaco technology, which is currently exclusive to the London Underground network. To add the fragrance of sun lotion, aromatic oil was applied during the print process, forming an invisible layer of microscopic bubbles on the surface of the posters.

The Oxford Circus activity is supported by in-store installations, with window displays showcasing the familiar campaign motif of inflatables used as large-scale 3D typography, alongside key products featured in the campaign.

Kirsty Minns, partner and executive creative director, Mother Design, said, “Our latest campaign for M&S engages multiple senses to create a more immersive and memorable experience, and as we know from science-backed studies, scent has emerged as a particularly powerful tool in forging emotional connections and brand recall. Using the evocative scent of sun lotion, we’re transporting people to the antithesis of the underground - an M&S-inspired summer paradise.”

Anna Braithwaite, M&S marketing director – clothing and home, added, “Summer is a time when our customers are prioritising socialising and making the most of the warmer weather and the lighter evenings. It’s also a time when we want to have a bit of fun with our wardrobe. We want effortless style, versatile pieces for day-to-night dressing and pops of colour to reflect the mood of the season. So, this year we’ve bottled up everything we know our customers love about summer and added a dash of poolside glamour to create a vibrant and infectious campaign serving up style inspiration that will be impossible to miss!”