The retail world has been left baffled by Marks and Spencer's last-minute decision to axe a high-profile, big-budget Christmas television advertisement starring actress Aimee Lou Wood, a move that reportedly wasted an eye-watering amount of money.
The Costly Production
Sources close to the campaign have revealed that the commercial, filmed during August in Hertfordshire, incurred production costs exceeding £300,000. On top of this substantial outlay, Wood, the White Lotus star celebrated for her distinctive gapped teeth, was paid a separate six-figure fee for her involvement.
Despite the sweltering summer heat, the 31-year-old actress was filmed on a snow-covered street set in Hatfield. M&S executives were initially thrilled to have signed her, believing her status as a British success story would give them a competitive edge over rivals like John Lewis, Sainsbury's, and Aldi during the crucial festive season.
A Sudden Change of Heart
Intriguingly, the advertisement was fully edited and ready to be broadcast to the public. The abrupt cancellation came despite the work being completed, pointing to a sudden and significant change in direction.
While M&S has officially stated that the move was due to a change in strategy following the arrival of a new commercial executive on September 1, insiders suggest there may be more to the story. One source indicated that some kind of disagreement may have occurred between the retailer and the actress.
"It's so strange, there was so much delight amongst so many people at Marks and Spencer that they signed Aimee. She's the epitome of a British success story," the source said. "Everything had been finished, including the editing and a lot of money was shelled out yet it all came down to one person changing their mind. The talk now is that there was some kind of disagreement between the parties. It's such a shame, the advert was beautiful."
M&S's New Strategic Direction
In an official statement, an M&S spokeswoman confirmed the shift, emphasising a move away from a single, flagship TV ad. The new campaign under fresh leadership is now product-focused, structured around a series of festive films and influencer content.
"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," the spokeswoman stated. "As the campaign evolved we started to embed a new product-focussed strategy... delivered through a social-first, multi-channel approach."
This scrapped advert was set to be more glitzy than the brand's 2024 campaign featuring Dawn French as the M&S Christmas fairy. M&S has a history of signing major stars for its Christmas campaigns, with past faces including Hannah Waddingham, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Zawe Ashton, Holly Willoughby, and David Gandy. Aimee Lou Wood has not publicly commented on the situation.
