Marks & Spencer
Sparks loyalty scheme
Facing radical change in retail
We like a cup of tea, a piece of cake and our underwear from M&S. There’s a special place in British culture reserved for the high street favourite. While tea and cake are safe (for now), M&S inhabits a retail sector redefined by discounters, disruptors, online retailers and changing consumer habits.
They know they need to play a bigger part in our lives to grow. They need relationships that inspire and invite in new people. But relationships need loyalty, and today that’s hard to nurture and even harder to sustain.
A valuable data business
Loyalty has come to mean a plastic card tucked away in your wallet. But a rich and rewarding experience that goes beyond the transactional is how people can get the very best out of their M&S.
We designed the proposition and platform for a data business where M&S can continuously improve their experience. It encourages people to share their preferences and habits and sets up the business to learn from them.
Inspiration for life
‘Inspiration for life’ positioned M&S for a long-term relationship and invited advocacy. The ‘Sparks’ name references inspiration and their affectionate nickname ‘Marks and Sparks.’ We also designed the brand experience from the back office to the shop front, and gave employees the practical tools to make the brand idea a reality.
Sparks pushes the business forwards and rekindles its special relationship with customers. There’s more work to do, but with over 4 million members signed up and a significant increase in ROI, the Sparks relationship is a truly rewarding one.
