How M&S is turning rivalry, ridicule and retail chaos into brand power.

For years, Aldi has played the cheeky underdog to M&S’s middle-class mainstay. We all know the drill: M&S launches a lovingly curated product, Aldi launches the knock-off, and social media does the rest. It’s been a wildly successful formula, with Aldi’s social team proactively inventing the memeable retail roast.

But lately, it feels like the energy has shifted. 

Aldi is still copying. Still quipping. Still putting googly eyes on baked goods. But M&S? It’s unhinged – and maybe in the best possible way. 

In June, M&S launched its strawberries and cream sandwich. A week later, Aldi dropped the teaser for a carrot and cream version. But something feels different. Suddenly, M&S doesn’t look like the victim of Aldi’s mockery. It looks like it’s writing the script.

The Beef Begins: Colin Vs Cuthbert.

Let’s rewind to 2021, when M&S took legal action against Aldi over its Colin the Caterpillar cake, accusing the discounter of riding on its chocolate-covered coattails with lookalike, Cuthbert. 

The lawsuit was dismissed by many as joyless – until it wasn’t. Because rather than quietly lawyering up, Aldi memed the moment into marketing gold. #FreeCuthbert trends, Twitter rejoiced, Colin became a mascot of middle-class capitalism and M&S, regardless of the actual outcome of the case, learned that sometimes the court of public opinion matters more

Strawberry Sandwiches and Strategies.

Fast forward to 2025 and M&S is doing something… different. They’re no longer just reacting to Aldi’s trolling, they’re actively trying to out-weird them. 

The proof? A limited-edition strawberries and cream sandwich that tastes, well, exactly how you’d expect. 

Is it good? Does it matter? It’s trending. It’s being memed. It’s being debated in group chats, on TikTok, and in tabloid headlines. That’s a campaign – and a successful one at that. 

M&S has realised you don’t need to wait for a scandal to go viral. Sometimes all it takes is a questionably filled sandwich and a complete lack of fear. 

What’s fascinating is how fast M&S has pivoted its tone. Once known for its soft lighting and “this is not just food…” voiceovers, it’s now playing the chaos game – and playing it well. 

And yet behind the scenes, M&S isn’t just posting about cream sandwiches. 

The Cyber Attack.

In April, the retailer suffered a major cyber attack, affecting employee and customer data. A serious incident and a real test for the brand’s crisis comms. 

What’s striking is how the two narratives of viral food drops and corporate threat mitigation co-exist. The brand’s external voice hasn’t missed a beat, despite the internal turbulence. That’s the hidden power of well-run PR. Keeping the tone light, even when the stakes are heavy.

The Copycat Question.

Meanwhile, Aldi’s formula hasn’t changed much. Copy the product. Make it cheeky. Add a pun. Rinse and repeat. 

In this instance, enter the carrot and cream sandwich. 

It still works – to a point. But in a landscape that’s grown hungrier for novelty, Aldi’s cheeky-chappy tone feels a little expected. And that’s a dangerous place for a challenger brand to be. The moment your underdog starts to feel like a script, people start looking for something fresher.

What Can Brands Learn?

This isn’t just about baked goods and novelty sandwich fillings. It’s about knowing when to evolve and how to do it with just enough chaos to stay relevant. 

• M&S has stopped playing defence and started playing offence. It’s creating the moments instead of reacting to them
• With this change in tactic, Aldi needs to up its game too, and rethink its challenger status. If you’re not surprising people anymore, are you still the underdog? 
• Brands shouldn’t be afraid to get weird. If it’s smart-weird, if it gets people talking and it feels self-aware – do it
• Crisis and creative aren’t mutually exclusive, the best brands know how to juggle both

Retail PR is no longer just about launching nice things and hoping your customers notice. It’s about showing up in culture, knowing when to pick a fight – and even, when to bait one. And above all, it’s about knowing who you are. 

M&S is proving that great brand strategy isn’t always polished, it’s bold, reactive, and a little bit chaotic. By leaning into cultural moments, balancing crises with creativity, and knowing exactly when to get weird, they’re rewriting the rules.

If your brand is ready to do the same, whether you’re looking to challenge the market, shape conversation or just start one, we’re here to help. Get in touch and let’s make something worth talking about.