Marks & Spencer has tapped actor James Norton to be the face of its Christmas 2026 advertising campaign, a move that signals a strategic shift for the retailer.
Norton, 41, who starred as the psychopathic Tommy Lee Royce in the acclaimed series "Happy Valley" and also appeared in "Grantchester," signed the deal with M&S approximately a week ago. Filming for festive sweater advertisements is anticipated in the coming weeks. Sources suggest Norton's compensation for the campaign could be substantial, potentially nearing £1 million, possibly influenced by his previous successful campaign for Giorgio Armani, with whom he has collaborated since 2023.
This decision represents a reversal of M&S's strategy for the 2025 Christmas campaign, which focused on a product-led, social media-first approach utilizing influencer content drops. The 2025 festive advert ultimately featured dancers performing to the Snap! hit "Rhythm Is A Dancer" on a snowy street.
M&S typically features a separate Christmas food campaign, with Dawn French portraying a fairy in the past. It remains unclear if this campaign will continue. Previous celebrity ambassadors for M&S's festive campaigns have included Hannah Waddingham, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Zawe Ashton, Holly Willoughby, and David Gandy.
The retailer reported in January that strong demand for its Christmas food offerings helped offset declining fashion sales during the festive period. For the 13 weeks ending December 27, food sales increased by 6.6 percent, while sales in fashion, home, and beauty decreased by 2.5 percent. M&S attributed some of this decline to the lingering effects of a cyber attack in spring 2025 that disrupted its online operations for six weeks. General High Street spending was reportedly low last Christmas, impacted by food inflation and the high cost of living.
Regarding the handling of the 2025 campaign, a spokesperson for M&S stated that while they enjoyed working with Aimee Lou Wood in the early stages, the campaign evolved under new leadership to a new product-focused strategy. This resulted in reshaping the campaign around a series of festive films and influencer content drops aligned with key shopping moments, delivered through a social-first, multi-channel approach. Wood, who gained fame in Netflix's "Sex Education" and appeared in "The White Lotus," has not commented on her departure from the campaign after signing a deal to lead it.
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