Every year, the British public eagerly awaits the release of the iconic John Lewis Christmas advert. Whether it’s an excitable dog bouncing on a trampoline, an alien landing and looking for a friend, or a lonely old man on the moon (still crying over that one), the fact remains that they’ve become an important part of the festive season – and it often signifies that’s it’s finally appropriate to get the Christmas playlist on.
Over the years, the John Lewis Christmas adverts have covered a lot of ground. Some have been playful, others tear-jerking, and, occasionally, they’re a little unexpected. And while we all love an animation and a cheeky Venus flytrap, the ads are undoubtedly at their best when they’re simple and stripped-back – like the sweet skateboarding dad, or the little boy waiting to give his parents a present.
This year, John Lewis has gone back to basics by telling the story of a woman shopping for her sister. Frantically looking for a present (in the iconic Oxford Street store, no less), she starts revisiting some of their shared memories – from stealing one another’s clothes and playing dress-up as kids, to bickering as teenagers and dancing with their mum in the kitchen. If you have a sister, it’ll probably unlock some core memories of your own – but even if you don’t, it’s likely that the sequence of small, intimate moments will remind you of someone dear to you. And by delivering a simple story with human connection as the focus, this year’s ad is really heartwarming – and will probably make you want to give your siblings a call.
Discussing the concept behind this year’s ad, Customer Director for John Lewis, Charlotte Lock, 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.”
The introduction of the famous flagship store isn’t the only thing that sets the ad apart this year, either. They’ve famously used covers as the backdrop to their short films (hello, Lily Allen), but this year they’ve gone with an original song – Richard Ashcroft’s Sonnet. However, they’re opening up a nationwide talent search on 15th November by asking people to upload their own covers of the song to TikTok, using the branded effect and the hashtag #MySonnet. Not only will the winning cover be featured in a special Christmas Day airing of the advert, but the winner will also get a recording session with a top producer, their song will be officially released by BMG, and they’ll also get a £3,000 John Lewis shopping spree. So get singing.
All proceeds from the winning single will support the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme, which helps care-experienced people build brighter futures.
(Image credit: John Lewis)