M&S Food came to us with its most ambitious product launch yet: the M&S Food x ZOE Gut Shot. This was about more than launching another health drink – it marked a bigger move for M&S Food towards becoming a destination for health-conscious customers. Our job was to give the launch the standout and impact to match that ambition.
A healthy dose of change
We deliberately broke from M&S Food’s traditionally refined aesthetic, introducing a more vibrant visual language while protecting the quality customers expect from the brand. The shift was designed to make the Gut Shot impossible to mistake for business as usual – this was something genuinely new on the M&S shelf.
Making gut health easy to digest
Gut health can get complicated quickly. We focused on translating the nutritional science into clear, compelling benefits customers could understand at a glance – keeping the science credible without making the communication feel clinical or overwhelming.
Building curiosity into the journey
We mapped the launch story across the entire in-store journey, giving every touchpoint a job. Windows created intrigue, communications explained the benefits and point-of-sale closed the gap at shelf – taking customers from ‘What’s that?’ to ‘I’ll try it.’
Turning the Gut Shot into an icon
We transformed the Gut Shot bottle into a signature micro-pattern, creating an instantly recognisable visual shorthand for the product across every communication. Dynamic splash motifs brought its vibrant flavours, freshness and vitality into the identity, creating a sensory hit before customers had even tasted it.
Science with serious shelf appeal
We brought the scientific credentials of Professor Tim Spector and ZOE’s nutrition experts into the messaging, balancing authority with accessible language. A tiered communication system worked at different levels – from quick benefit-led headlines for passing shoppers to deeper educational content for those who wanted to know more.
Turning attention into action
We created a pathway through the store that moved customers from curiosity to consideration to purchase. Strategically placed signage built recognition and understanding along the way, before guiding shoppers directly to the Gut Shot at shelf.
The Gut Shot launch smashed expectations, with early sales beating pre-launch forecasts by more than 75%. In January 2024, M&S even sold more Gut Shots than Coca-Cola and water. The work picked up industry recognition too, with Gold and Silver at the London Design Awards and Bronze at The Drum Marketing Awards EMEA. Big impact for one little bottle.
M&S Food x ZOE Gut Shot
Creating a splash in the health market with Gut Shot
Sharry Cramond
Marketing Director, M&S Food and Masterbrand and Director of Loyalty, M&S
"The ZOE POS has set a new gold standard for launching in-store. It's blown everyone away!"