The film takes M&S food and ‘deconstructs’ it to reveal the individual components and ingredients. Familiar foods are shown in surprising ways, in the extreme close-up of their contours and construction, or their response to the stimuli of cooking (heat, freezing, flames, slicing, smashing, mashing etc). The film is shot on a black (occasionally white) background against which the foods appear jewel-like in the intensity of their colours and textures.

The track ‘Rather Be’ by Clean Bandit was chosen for a number of reasons.

1. The campaign was planned to run over an extended period, so the track needed to be flexible enough to avoid wear-out.

The main riff in “Rather Be” is the synth hook at the beginning of the song. As the song progresses, the same riff is played on a piano and then a violin, giving the track depth and variety.

This hook became the sonic identity of the campaign, and its adaptability meant that it could be a softer, more subtle music edit for some films; and a more energetic and celebratory edit for others, or a bit of both.

2. The track also had to have space for sound design to cut through – for example the drip of liquid or the slice of a kitchen knife. The sound design and FX are important in allowing the food textures to come to life.

These sonic elements, the memorability, playfulness and suitability of the music and of course the beautifully filmed food have come together to create one of those iconic advertising campaigns that communicate the brand before their logo comes up at the end.