M&S campaign earns System1’s highest rating

System1's Star Rating measures emotional responses to advertising

M&S Ireland's latest Farm to Foodhall campaign has achieved a 5.9 Star Rating from System1, marking one of the highest scores recorded by the creative effectiveness platform and highlighting the long-term impact of consistent brand building.

The advertisement, featuring chef Mark Moriarty visiting one of M&S's partner strawberry farms, received System1's top classification for long-term brand growth potential. According to the company, only 1 per cent of advertisements tested have achieved a Star Rating of 5.0 or higher.

Four years of creative consistency

The result continues a strong run of performance for the Farm to Foodhall campaign platform, which has been used by M&S since 2023. Across multiple executions, the campaign has maintained a consistent creative approach built around rural settings, partnerships with farmers, recognisable chefs and Fleetwood Mac's Albatross soundtrack.

Previous Irish campaign executions have also performed strongly. The Fresh Tomatoes advertisement achieved a 4.2 Star Rating, while a campaign promoting Oakham Gold Chicken scored 4.1 Stars.

The platform has also generated high ratings in the UK. An advertisement for British Red Diamond Strawberries achieved a 5.3 Star Rating, while a butter campaign received 5.0 Stars.

Strong short-term and long-term potential

In addition to its Star Rating, the latest campaign recorded a Spike Rating of 1.55, which System1 uses to predict short-term sales impact. The advertisement also achieved a Fluency Rating of 91 per cent, indicating strong brand recognition among viewers.

System1's Star Rating measures emotional responses to advertising and is designed to predict long-term brand growth. The methodology forms part of The Creative Dividend, the company's research collaboration with Effie examining the relationship between creativity and business performance.

Emotional equity built over time

Andrew Tindall, Chief Growth Officer – Advertising, System1: "From day one, M&S found a winning formula. Trusted chefs, real farmers, beautiful settings, all reinforcing the idea that M&S stands for quality worth caring about. The real brilliance is that they stuck with it. Every new execution builds emotional equity, making the campaign more memorable and more effective over time."

Frances Gordon, Head of Marketing and Sales, M&S Ireland: "Our Farm to Foodhall campaign showcases the strength of our partnerships with Irish farmers, and the exceptional ingredients and consistent quality they deliver. It's rewarding to see our work with suppliers connecting so strongly with customers, reflecting the trust and pride that sits behind every product."

www.marksandspencer.com

www.system1group.com

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