JOHN Lewis has gone back to basics with its Christmas advert this year with a magical tale about finding the perfect gift for a loved one.
The two minute ad is called The Gifting Hour and follows a woman’s last-minute dash to find a gift for her sister.
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After 17 years, it’s the first time that one of John Lewis’ 34 shops has featured in the advert.
The mini-film was shot in John Lewis’ flagship store on Oxford Street during an overnight shoot back in October.
The department store had a multi-million pound makeover earlier this year after the retailer invested £6.5million.
The advert, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, follows the woman, Sally, rushing into a John Lewis store looking for a last minute gift.
The beginning is reminiscent of a Christmas film but Sally quickly enters a fantastical world, where she journeys through childhood memories looking for clues to help her pick the best present.
She sees her sister as a child at Christmas, fighting with her as a teenager and as a pregnant mum-to-be.
The scenes represent the thought process that goes through your head when you’re thinking about buying a gift at Christmas.
She returns back to reality once she has found the gift, which is ready and wrapped.
Then, she heads outside and has a special moment with her sister.
It ends with the strapline: “The secret to finding the perfect gift? Knowing where to look”.
John Lewis intentionally does not reveal what the gift is, as it wanted to make the advert about the sentiment of giving.
The soundtrack is also a little different this year.
John Lewis is famous for using covers of popular songs for its advert – but this year it’s Sonnet by The Verve.
It’s one of the nods to the 90s, which is a major theme this year.
The retailer is also launching a search for a coverstar on TikTok, and legendary lead singer of the band Richard Ashcroft will help pick the new star.
The winner will record and release their own track with BMG and a version of the advert with their rendition will be played on TV on Christmas Day.
SUN’S VERDICT
THE SUN’S Head of Consumer, Tara Evans, gives her verdict on the advert:
I think this advert might be a grower for many people because it really didn’t grab me after the first viewing.
I was one of the first journalists to watch it earlier this week and at first I wasn’t blown away immediately.
I found the way it jumped through different Christmas memories a little hard to follow.
But I do love the message it is trying to convey.
I love thinking of personal and meaningful gifts for my loved-ones.
For me, the best present doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
I love seeing the face of a loved one when they open up a present.
It’s a little, magical way to show that you really care for someone by thinking of a gift that will make them feel appreciated, loved and listened to.
That doesn’t mean spending loads.
In fact, it could cost next to nothing but just a little reminder of an inside joke or a sign of a shared memory. That is the magic of Christmas.
Which has taken on a whole new meaning this year for me as my son, Jack, and daughter, Sienna, are 18 months old.
I can’t wait to see their faces on Christmas morning as they open up their gifts.
Granted this year, Peppa Pig and Spot the dog feature quite heavily…but I can’t wait to make special memories with my family.
They will also win a £3,000 shopping spree and tickets to a Richard Ashcroft headline show in 2025.
Proceeds from the single will be donated to the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme, which helps care-experienced people.
It also doesn’t have an official merchandise range from the advert, which is a huge change from previous years.
The John Lewis Christmas ad is widely considered the biggest advertising event of the year – and signals that the run up to the festive season has begun.
In previous years it has spent up to £7million on making and promoting the advert. This year it says it spent a similar amount – but certainly not more.
Charlotte Lock, customer director for John Lewis, said: “The secret to finding the perfect gift is knowing where to look.
“Our ad heroes the thoughtful gift-giver and celebrates ‘the gifting hour’, the moment when you go a little deeper in your heart and in our stores to find something really special and meaningful for the ones you love.
“Our shops are the beating heart of our brand and our customers love the ritual of Christmas shopping there – so we wanted to give the store a starring role in our ad for the first time.”
This year, the advert is the final instalment of a three-part series, to relaunch the chain’s Never Knowingly Undersold pledge.
It will air first on John Lewis’ social media platforms at 8am tomorrow, but MyJohnLewis members can watch it from 8am on the John Lewis website.
It will be broadcast on TV during the ad break for Coronation Street on ITV at 8.45pm on Friday November 15.
We have rounded up all of the John Lewis adverts throughout the years.
The employee-owned business has already hailed a strong start to Christmas trading, announcing last month that sales from its Christmas shop were up 18% year on year.
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