It’s now been a whole month since the cyberattack on Marks & Spencer kicked off. Causing £300m in lost profits and leaving the brand struggling to get services fully back to normal until at least July, the incident has clearly done significant damage.
The brand was previously experiencing something of a resurgence, with strong performance in the food and clothing sectors, increased brand perception and successful transformation initiatives. This crisis risks undermining all that good work if not handled properly – especially in the eyes of the consumer.
M&S’s initial comms about the attack – stating the situation was “under control” – was praised for its calm tone and clarity. But in today’s algorithm-driven environment, control is a fleeting concept.
And as the investigation unfolds, so does consumer frustration, misinformation, and commentary across social platforms. While mainstream outlets like the BBC cover the developments in the story, threads on AskReddit, r/technology, and even conspiracy forums risk fuelling speculation and pushing the narrative into increasingly unpredictable territory.
These are a vivid reminder of how far and fast these conversations can travel. In an era where engagement, not accuracy, determines reach, crisis comms cannot be confined to corporate statements and press releases. Retail brands like M&S that find themselves in these kinds of unfortunate situations need to understand their modern audience and how to talk to them if they want to keep customers browsing, not bouncing.
From containment to culture
In traditional PR playbooks, silence or restraint in the face of a crisis often helps limit damage. But when facing the algorithm, a guarded response can quickly be interpreted as avoidance or evasiveness.
Retailers must now contend with the double-edged nature of visibility. The M&S cyberattack has sparked enormous public interest. Meltwater data estimates UK impressions are in the region of 500 million to one billion, an eye-watering figure that would be the envy of any marketing campaign – if it were on the brand’s terms.
While this level of reach highlights the power of consumer attention, it also exposes the need for active community management. M&S’s social posts still have high engagement numbers rolling in, but many negative comments remain unanswered.
Engaging directly in those conversations, responding transparently and constructively, isn’t just damage control – it’s reputation rebuilding.
Reframing messaging under pressure
As the fallout continues, M&S has begun to pivot its media and messaging approach. Promotion of individual products has been paused in favour of broader, category-level campaigns. This is a wise move. With ongoing stock frustrations and a lack of real-time in-store availability online, narrowly targeted ads risk fuelling customer annoyance rather than driving sales.
Dynamic ads – particularly those automatically generated by platforms like Meta, based on site content and user behaviour – remain a particular risk during crises as they can surface the wrong message at the wrong moment. Strategic media management means knowing when to hit pause on performance in favour of brand protection.
In its place, M&S should be leaning into lifestyle and culturally rooted content: food recipe posts, seasonal ideas and tongue-in-cheek cultural moments, reflecting the brand’s personality but steering away from transactional messaging.
Content like this drives positive engagement and softens the brand tone at a moment when direct selling could feel tone-deaf.
Playing offence, not just defence
We’re seeing a shift from defensive communication to proactive, creative engagement. M&S has been embracing channels like TikTok to reassert its cultural relevance in the past five years.
Tropes like having ‘a picky tea’ – a knowing wink to shoppers’ habits – have been reframing store visits and creating a cultural ritual, not just a retail interaction.
Even a simple, playful reactive comment, such as referencing the British weather or competitions like ‘Win Your Wishlist’, could help redirect attention in a way that feels human and engaging, without ignoring the wider context. These kinds of techniques remind customers that M&S still understands them, even amid uncertainty.
This form of brand storytelling doesn’t shy away from the noise. It absorbs it, reflects it with charm and subtly steers the conversation. In doing so, the brand isn’t just reacting to a crisis, it’s actively rebuilding affinity by leaning into humour, habits and emotional resonance that make it part of everyday British life.
A new crisis comms playbook
The M&S cyberattack demonstrates just how fast the ground can shift in the retail communications landscape. The incident itself may be technical, but the reputational stakes are deeply human. Shoppers expect clarity, empathy and responsiveness, not just from press teams, but on every platform where the brand shows up.
Retailers must rethink their crisis comms strategies to match this reality. That means owning the narrative in real time, adapting media strategy to limit frustration, and creating content that resonates culturally, not just commercially.
In an era where attention is algorithmically amplified, silence can feel like an absence. Presence, even during a crisis, is what earns long-term trust.
Scott Sadeghian-Tehrani, media strategy director at 26PMX
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