M&S Appoints Sentient as their PR and Communications Agency.
M&S, iconic British retailer, seeks modern PR partner for new perspectives
Is there a more iconic high street retailer than M&S? For over 130 years it has dominated headlines and the nation’s hearts, minds and consciousness. But recent years have not been so kind. Sales have fallen. Share price has dipped. The competition has accelerated away.
It was with this backdrop that Sentient was appointed.
Strategic counsel
Cross discipline workshops
Creative training
Creative mailers
Sustainability counsel
Content creation
Awards
“A trusted partner who always adds value to what we do.”
The brief was simple.
Provide a flow of creative energy through the team. Help bring outside world perspectives into their world to keep thinking fresh and sharp. Train the team to think of new and novel ways to tell compelling stories. Be an ideas partner across the business, helping to shape strategy and creative through engaging workshops. And be proactive in driving the agenda forward.
It was the call for a more modern PR from a more modern PR partner. And we responded.
Workshops were constructed and delivered across the business. New ways of thinking and arriving at fresher thoughts were delivered. Finding new ways to think about food stories, the launch of the “best ever” range and telling the story of the retailers support for farmers were all delivered. The company’s iconic sustainability plan, Plan A, was workshopped across the business to identify new and contemporary ways to reenergise the message and the story.
M&S’ first foray into a plastic free fruit and veg aisle was workshopped, analysed and brought to life including the reintroduction of the traditional greengrocer. It was an idea borne from a creative session that grew into reality and captured the media’s attention.
A training programme was delivered to the team to educate them on an agency’s approach to modern PR, highlighting participation models, influencer models, data analytics and strategic diagnostics.
During the period we earned the retailer its first awards recognition in years including five shortlists and one win for Markle and Sparkle, a rebrand to celebrate the marriage of Harry and Meghan. Awards included the PRCA, PR Moment and PR Week.
