Some of Greater Manchester’s most iconic locations are set to be featured as part of a new “milestone” M&S campaign.
Mancs will soon be able to spot our city taking centre stage in a new TV advert.
This is because M&S has launched its brand-new autumn menswear campaign today, and well-known sites such as the iconic exterior of Salford Lads’ Club, the industrial arches of Castlefield, and plenty of other familiar haunts, form what is a pretty integral part of the marketing of it all.
Titled ‘Anything but Ordinary’, this is M&S’s first standalone menswear campaign since all the way back in 2015 – which is why the retailer is calling it a “significant milestone”.
As M&S puts it, the new campaign has been “captured against the vibrant city of Manchester”.
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Iconic Manchester locations take centre stage in new M&S fashion campaign / Credit: M&S
As well as the Greater Manchester streets featuring front and centre in all the new promotional material, including editorial imagery, influencer partnerships, coordinated website and social media channel takeovers, and more, the new video advert for the campaign is also soundtracked by one of the city’s most famous bands.
New Order’s 1981′ B-side track, ‘Ceremony’, can be heard blasting out as the models in the commercial make their way around Manchester.
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M&S says the new campaign has been launched as it continues on with its “style perception journey”, and the company hopes it will inspire customers with outfitting ideas and different ways to wear key pieces throughout the season.
According to the retailer, the new clothing collection apparently focuses on what are “easy-to-style” and “versatile” wardrobe staples, as well as “elevated” outerwear and “tonal dressing” too, that’s all underpinned by the “quality and innovation” that M&S is known and loved for.
M&S’s Clothing & Home Marketing Director, Anna Braithwaite, said the marketing team’s main goal with the campaign was to create something “visually arresting”, which is why Greater Manchester was chosen as the backdrop.
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Speaking as the campaign launched this week, Anna explained: To reach new, lapsed, and younger audiences, we knew we had to create something that would challenge the existing male perception of M&S and take it to where we know our audience is consuming content and most engaged.
“As a result, we have a campaign that’s bold, disruptive, and embodies the attitude and style of today’s menswear customer.”
Featured Image – M&S
Shopping
First look at Topshop in Manchester as beloved brand returns to British high streets
Daisy Jackson
Topshop is officially back on British high streets, and if you’re old enough to remember the struggle of contorting yourself into a pair of Joni jeans, you’re going to want to pay attention to this news…
The iconic fashion giant shut its stores back in 2021, leaving a huge hole in shopping centres across the nation.
But now Topshop and Topman are back in stores, with 32 new Topshop retail spaces and seven new Topman locations launching today.
Mancs will now be able to shop cult denim, statement jackets, and trend-driven wardrobe staples (just like the golden days of Topshop) at the Trafford Centre.
It’s all thanks to a new nationwide partnership with John Lewis, which will see a curated edit of around 130 styles available in-store across womenswear, menswear and footwear.
In store, that includes a full range of jeans (including those beloved Joni and Jamie jeans, plus more modern barrel-leg styles), graphic tees, knitwear, bomber jackets, and dresses.
There are Topshop retail spaces inside John Lewis at both the Trafford Centre and in Cheadle, but our closest Topman will be across in Leeds.
John Lewis has also become the exclusive UK physical retailer for Topshop footwear for SS26.
Inside Topshop at the Trafford Centre in ManchesterThe iconic Joni and Jamie jeans are back
Michelle Wilson, managing director of Topshop, said: “Today is about making it easier for customers to access the Topshop and Topman pieces they love.
“From our cult denim to new‐season footwear, you can see it, feel it and take it home the same day. Partnering with John Lewis brings Topshop back to high streets across the UK with the level of service our customers expect.”
Peter Ruis, managing director of John Lewis, added: “Topshop and Topman are brands with enormous cultural relevance, and their return to physical retail is something our customers are genuinely excited about.
“This partnership reflects our focus on bringing iconic names, strong style and compelling experiences into our stores.”
First Look: Matcha Made and The Trafford Centre makes for a perfect marriage
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester’s newest matcha spot just dropped, and we know it’s an easy pun, but it really does feel like a match made in heaven.
Just picture the scene: there’s a big birthday or holiday coming up, so you’ve arrived at The Trafford Centre early to get in a full day of shopping, eating and being generally leisurely – but you need an early caffeine fix and maybe some light, fluffy yet still filling pastry to keep you going.
There are very few places better to start this kind of day than at Matcha Made, who’ve just opened up in the North West’s massive and most famous shopping mall.
Fronted by a lovely lineup of smiling staff who couldn’t do enough for you and are more than happy to give you advice or simply plug their own recommendations, we can see ourselves coming back here for the service alone.
They’ve arrived in the big leisure complex just in time for February half-term, too, meaning any parents needing an alternative caffeine hit can fuel up right here.
Specialising in the Japanese and super healthy green tea craze that currently has the UK in a chokehold, only directly out of a tap – almost like a zen twist of draught beer taps – the art is not only in how green the raw matcha itself tastes but in the flavours and finishing touches.
This stylish pastel green hatch might not be the only place to get your matcha on in The Trafford Centre, but it might just be the best already.
It was immediately apparent that the staff had a clear favourite: the Biscoff foam version, but they said their simple but sweet and satisfying strawberry one has also proved to be one of the most popular.
There’s plenty of fruity options to choose from; they’ve got their own take on the fellow contemporary trend of banana pudding for anyone looking for a fix, and even ume plum, or you can just go for a straight-up coffee or hot chocolate as well.
So yeah, even if your partner isn’t quite ready to admit they’re a secret ‘matcha girlie’, then they can spend a little bit more time lying to themselves over this side of the menu.
Whether you want it topped with cream, shavings or a light dusting of cocoa powder, you can make this little drink just about as decorative as you like.
Besides being more reasonably priced than we were expecting, given the ongoing matcha boom, you’ve also got the big bonus of a fridge stocked with bakes from local favourite La Chouqette. Sold.
Emily Sergeant -
13th October 2023 
