Marks & Spencer has reportedly dropped actress Aimee Lou Wood from its Christmas advertising campaign, despite paying a substantial fee for her involvement. The 31-year-old White Lotus star was initially set to be the face of the festive ad, following in the footsteps of Hannah Waddingham and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
According to reports, Wood appeared in a promotional clip in August but has since been removed as the brand opted for a different direction. An M&S spokesperson confirmed the change, stating: 'We really enjoyed working with Aimee Lou Wood during the early stages of this year’s Christmas campaign – she brought great energy and creativity to the process. As the campaign evolved, we started to embed a new product-focused strategy under new leadership.'
The spokesperson added that instead of a single-hero advert, the campaign was reshaped around a series of festive films and influencer content-drops aligned to key seasonal shopping moments. The new approach is social-first and multi-channel, covering social media, digital, out-of-home, and print.
For Wood, who rose to fame in Netflix's Sex Education and later appeared in Sky Atlantic's The Third Day, the decision is a setback. However, she continues to build her career following the M&S dropping.
Meanwhile, the John Lewis Christmas advert has received a mixed response. The ad, featuring a father and son struggling to communicate, is soundtracked by Alison Limerick's 'Where Love Lives' reimagined by Labrinth. Some viewers praised its message, while others criticised it as 'depressing, boring and not very Christmassy'.
