M&S is often described as a British institution. But that label makes it sound rather static, when the last few years have proved it’s anything but.

Perceptually, M&S had undergone an image overhaul, from a reliable, if unexciting, choice to one of the most talked about brands on the high street. Today its name isn’t just a shorthand for quality, it feels stylish. But its packaging didn’t continue the story, and was crowded with competing sub-brands, range names, claims and hierarchies.

Physically, M&S stores are increasingly self-serve. Information had been put onto packaging to help guide customers, but felt disconnected from the confidence and simplicity M&S had come to stand for.

This context made our task clear: craft a new packaging system that could build on M&S’ stylish reputation, while making it easier for people to shop. System was the operative word, as our approach needed to stretch to thousands of products, from bras to saucepans, pyjamas to towels.

Our approach was driven by a counterintuitive truth — strip out to stand out.

Strip out sub-brands, confusing colour codes and over explanations. Sub in crafted design details and an elevated material palette, alongside a disciplined hierarchy that leads with clear product names and the iconic M&S logo. Then, apply it everywhere.

When there are thousands of products on shelves, it’s easy for customers to feel at sea. The M&S logo works as an anchor, creating a consistent marker of quality across product types. This brand-proud approach is twinned with a simple navigation system that makes shelves scannable at speed.

A stripped back system allows every design element to sing. A single typeface, MS London, flexed across a nuanced range of weights and sizes and shades, builds a clear hierarchy and aids navigation without cluttering the pack. Premium finishes such as spot varnished black-on-black logos elevate the set.

M&S is a British institution. It’s unique role is translated into ‘The Wingwoman’, a tone of voice that brings clarity and levity to the Home brand, with unexpected touches of wit that customers have come to know and love from the brand’s TV campaigns.

1 in 3 women in the UK buy their knickers from M&S. That’s a huge range of people to serve, and a huge range of products to organise. That scale made the packaging goal clear: create a brand architecture that was easy to navigate, and packaging that was quick to understand.

The solution is a colour-coded navigation system that brings all sizes and styles into the same range. This is paired with the brand-proud, stripped-back and elevated material palette found in Home, creating a relationship between the two that is more sisters, less twins.

While the Lingerie system follows the same overarching principles as Home, it introduces warm whites and charcoal typography to bring a softer touch to a more intimate category.

It’s easy to get knackered when buying knickers. Research showed that customers get frustrated when confronted with a sea of pants, tights and socks. To combat this, we created a new hierarchy and benefits grid to bring calmness and reassurance to a previously stressful shop for intimate clothing.

As part of the architecture exercise, we looked at ‘Body’ M&S’s shapewear sub-brand. Given the credibility shapewears brings to any lingerie brand, we decided to move this from a sub-brand to a range, bringing closer association and equity being driven back into core M&S brand.