This is not just any pig... this is an M&S pig – and he’s gone viral on TikTok, with 200million views.
Percy the Pig, the character from the upmarket chain’s range of sweets, has become a social media sensation, seen hamming it up doing everything from playing tennis to dancing to rap.
The smiley pink character has gone viral with over 200 million views on the platform loved by youngsters.
It’s helped M&S become the UK’s second most prominent supermarket online, according to marketing firm Salience.
The typically upmarket brand has boosted its online footfall by 25% since last year - putting it second only to Tesco.
“Percy Pig is now a TikTok sensation,” said Jo O’Reilly, digital PR manager at Salience.
“When it comes to keeping the M&S brand culturally relevant to new audiences, Percy is one precious pig.”
M&S has notably seen a rise in popularity with shoppers while competitors have dropped off over the last two years.
YouGov says the chain’s ‘brand health’ has risen by half a point since May 2021.
Meanwhile the Big Four - Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and ASDA - have dropped by four points on average over the same period.
Percy is something of a cult figure on TikTok with users sharing their love for the happy pig.
One girl commented: “Percy I’m wearing percy pig shorts, jumper and slippers and I’m lying on my percy pig pillow.”
Another wrote: “Watching this with my Percy pig hot water bottle rn [right now].”
The hashtag #percypig is linked to over 18,000 videos on TikTok shared by M&S and private users and with 217 million views.
Percy has evolved into one of M&S most valuable assets since hitting shelves as a gummy sweet in 1992.
Now, more than 20 million packs are sold a year.
The treat officially went vegan in 2022 after gelatine and beeswax were permanently removed.
M&S has ensured Percy’s legacy by threatening legal action against any alleged copycat sweetmakers, with a case recently launched against Swizzels.
