LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Marks & Spencer is hopinga high-profile ad campaign featuring some of Britain's biggestfemale celebrities will boost sales of its make-or-breakautumn/winter fashion range when it debuts in September.
The campaign features Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren,former ballerina Darcey Bussell and artist Tracey Emin wearingclothes from the new range, which M&S, Britain's largestclothing retailer, needs to succeed in order to reverse eightstraight quarters of declining underlying sales.
The collection focuses on higher quality and morefashionable style, something Marks & Spencer hopes will satisfyits core 45-years-and-over customers while also appealing toyounger shoppers.
The new range, which won mostly positive reviews fromanalysts and the fashion press when it was unveiled in May,arrived in stores and online last month. However, the fulllaunch and advertising push will be in September.
The ad campaign, shot by fashion photographer AnnieLeibovitz and announced by M&S on Monday, will be billed underthe strapline "Meet Britain's Leading Ladies." It also featuresboxer Nicola Adams, who won a gold medal at the 2012 LondonOlympics, Grace Coddington, the creative director of U.S. Vogue,and singer Ellie Goulding.
"We feel that this campaign is the ideal way to illustrateM&S' move into a new era," said Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, M&S'executive director marketing and business development.
M&S declined to give details about the cost of theadvertising campaign.
Shares in M&S, which have risen 26 percent over the lastyear, were up 1.5 percent at 460.2 pence at 14.23 GMT.
Marks & Spencer (MKS)