As the nights draw in and the cold weather starts, Marks & Spencer aims to capitalise on consumers staying in of an evening with its new ‘Weekends In’ advert and promotion.

Campaign of the week: Marks & Spencer, Weekends In

It is a move on from its ‘Dine in for 2 for £10’ offer, which ran every other weekend. The ‘Weekends In’ deal provides customers with a different offer every weekend, which could be ‘Dine in for 2 for £10’ or, for example, the new ‘Takeaway for 2’ deal.

The promotion gives consumers enough variety to ensure repeat visits and is especially smart as the Titans of weekend television, Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor, should keep bums on sofas in the coming months. The strapline, ‘Introducing Weekends In. Delicious offers every weekend’, is clear and direct, although the reference to ‘weekend’ is rather confusing – the deal actually runs from Wednesday to Sunday. However, the ad, which also spans radio and national press and was created by RKCR/Y&R, offers very little new in terms of the creative.

Accompanied by the customary M&S food music, the TV advert pans across a selection of the retailer’s Chinese food, accompanied by a voice-over, as usual by soft-spoken actor Matthew Macfadyen, explaining the deal.

It’s a shame the retailer did not break from the norm a bit with this advertising campaign, particularly if it wants to sufficiently differentiate the new offer, which is strong, chimes with the cash-strapped consumer and well timed, from its old one.

Marks and Spencer, Weekends In