Marks & Spencer deploys topless Santa to challenge John Lewis holiday dominance

Marks & Spencer has launched a Christmas campaign that features actor James Norton as a shirtless Santa Claus, a move designed to capture attention in a competitive holiday market. The commercial pairs Norton with Lucy Punch as a young couple attempting to experience the holiday season in an unconventional way.

The spot contrasts sharply with the advertisement released this week by John Lewis. That film stars Kristin Scott Thomas as a wealthy grandmother who converts a room in her large townhouse into a playful space for her grandchildren. Critics noted that the John Lewis portrayal of affluence, including the spacious home and the behavior of the family, may feel disconnected from the current economic mood for many shoppers.

In the M&S film, Norton’s character removes his beard to go undercover during the pre-holiday rush. The narrative follows the couple as they crash a dinner party and attend a children’s carol service. A recurring motif in the video is the discovery of small, imperfect items, which the script refers to as 'picky bits'.

Images from the commercial, particularly those showing Norton wearing only a white cotton towel, circulated quickly on social media. Men’s Health magazine labeled him a 'shredded Santa' and commented that his physique made the traditional Santa look dated. Gurjit Degun, the creativity and cultural editor at Campaign magazine, described the advertisement as 'playful and tongue in cheek without being silly'.

This marks the first time since 2017 that M&S has consolidated its fashion, food, beauty, and homeware divisions into a single holiday advertisement. The strategy aims to present the brand as a unified entity rather than separate departments. Every item featured in the film, from Punch’s pajamas to the towel worn by Norton, is available for purchase. Norton noted that he saw 'hundreds' of prawn cones on set, which are also part of the product lineup.

The central message of the M&S campaign suggests that the value of Christmas lies in shared moments rather than expensive gifts. However, the commercial remains focused on retail, with every prop serving as a product placement. The John Lewis advertisement takes a different approach, encouraging customers to buy physical presents instead of giving cash.

Norton, who worked with director Shannon Murphy, said he appreciated the script’s balance of humor and respect for the holiday. Murphy is known for her work on Killing Eve and Babyteeth. Norton stated, 'I trusted that Shannon would deliver on the tone.' He added that while he usually prefers traditional emotional advertisements, this film captures festive feelings through family interactions.

Lucy Punch expressed her preference for the lighter tone of the script. 'I don’t want any more Christmas tearjerkers,' she said. 'I want fun and joy. Life is enough of a tearjerker, it’s fun to have something festive with a bit of a wink.'

Both retailers face financial pressures that make the success of these campaigns critical. M&S is recovering from a cyberattack in 2025 that kept its website offline for more than six weeks and cost over £100m. John Lewis is dealing with rising operational costs and a drop in consumer confidence. Jonathan De Mello, founder of JDM Retail consulting, noted that John Lewis is targeting affluent customers who have paid off their mortgages. He warned that this strategy might alienate younger shoppers who find that lifestyle unattainable. De Mello observed that the M&S ad reflects the retailer’s recent alignment of its food and fashion brands to appeal to a younger demographic.