M&S stands by World Cup ad starring Walcott
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Marks & Spencer denies it looks “silly” by featuring Theo Walcott in its World Cup ads, since the player failed to make the England squad.
The retailer says it will not change the ads or pull the campaign.
M&S launched its ad campaign last month featuring current players including Theo Walcott, Emile Heskey, and Steven Gerrard wearing the official England suits along with the strapline: “Three Lions, One Tailor”.
A complementary ad features members of the winning England 1966 World Cup team dressed in M&S suits with the strapline: “Four Legends, One Label”.
The chain has been lambasted by the press for starring the unsuccessful Walcott in its multimillion pound campaign.
M&S is standing by the ads, saying it is a “great campaign and customers are responding well to it.”
A spokesperson for M&S says: “The deal was with the FA, not with individual players. M&S is proud to be England’s official suit sponsor.”
“We always knew we were taking a risk, but nine of the 12 players shot for the campaign made the squad.”
The Arsenal player also stars alongside Wayne Rooney in Nike’s high-profile global World Cup TV ad.
Readers' comments (5)
Anonymous | Wed, 2 Jun 2010 12:42 pm
Who cares if he's in the squad or not? He sells the suit - unlike Mr Rooney!
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Mark Thompson | Wed, 2 Jun 2010 1:30 pm
To be fair 3 out of 4 of their choices were risky, one was inevitably not going to be on the plain
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Stacy Armstrong | Fri, 4 Jun 2010 9:02 am
Realistically there has been more hype over the fact that he wasn't picked for the squad. The advertisments with Theo for the world cup only proves further that he was a stong choice and people respond well to him.
If he looks good in the suit why pull the plug on something that is selling.
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Amanda Searle | Fri, 4 Jun 2010 10:33 am
How much more coverage have they got because he didn't go & everyone's talking about it?!
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Jamie Smith | Sun, 6 Jun 2010 11:05 am
To be fair to them it still kind of works if you take the "3 lions" bit as Heskey, Upson and Stevie G.
Also from his last England performances you'd have expected him to get in.
Never thought I'd see Emile Heskey selling suits. More likely to be holding them up!
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