- The 2024 John Lewis Christmas ad - The Gifting Hour - transports viewers on a magical journey that follows a sister’s quest for the perfect Christmas gift
- For the first time, a John Lewis store takes a starring role
- Legendary singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft provides the soundtrack with his ballad, Sonnet
- Nationwide search for cover star of soundtrack launched on Tik Tok with a priceless Christmas gift for the winner as their version is shared with the nation on TV on Christmas Day
14 November 2024, London, England: The 2024 Christmas advert from John Lewis is finally here, transporting viewers on an emotional and magical journey to find the perfect Christmas gift.
The Ivor Novello Award-Winning Richard Ashcroft provides the music backdrop with the powerful and poignant song Sonnet from his Acoustic Hymns Vol.1 Album, released on RPA/BMG.
The two-minute TV advert, created by Saatchi & Saatchi and the third in the trilogy this season, celebrates the search for the perfect gift through the wisdom of its customers and the breadth of offering in its stores - ending with the strapline: “The secret to finding the perfect gift? Knowing where to look”.
In the ad, the heroine, Sally, has left it a little late to find the right gift for her sister this year and races into a John Lewis store at closing time. Falling through a rack of dresses, she enters a fantastical world. We first see her stumbling out of the wardrobe in the attic of her childhood home and from here we are taken on a whimsical journey through her memories as she searches for the ultimate present, against the clock.
Returning to the store and back to reality she has found the perfect gift, ready and wrapped. Sally then heads outside and has a special moment with her sister who will be the gift’s recipient. As they walk away we see her sister reflected in the John Lewis window as the child from her memories.
John Lewis is renowned for its Christmas adverts featuring cover songs. But this year, the retailer is offering aspiring musicians (and indeed anyone who wants to have a go!) a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the next John Lewis cover star. Partnering with BMG and Richard Ashcroft himself, they will launch a nationwide talent search on November 15 on TikTok* via a branded effect on the John Lewis page, using the hashtag #MySonnet.
The lucky winner will record their own version of Sonnet, to be featured in a special Christmas Day airing of the advert on TV, with the track officially released by BMG. Chosen by Richard Ashcroft and a panel of independent judges, the winner receives a remarkable prize package: a professional recording session with a top producer, their cover single released by BMG (with proceeds donated to the Building Happier Futures charity**), a £3,000 John Lewis shopping spree, and tickets to a Richard Ashcroft headline show in 2025.
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 John Lewis Christmas advert features an original song rather than a cover track, and we’re offering the nation the chance to put their own stamp on it and become the ultimate cover star. So whether your style is pop, indie, country or R&B - we can’t wait to hear your take on Sonnet.”
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.
Franki Goodwin, Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, said: “We’ve all been there - time’s running out, and you’re still looking for the perfect gift for someone in your life who’s impossible to shop for. That’s why I believe viewers will truly connect with our heroine - as she dives into a rack of dresses, exploring her memories in search of that special gift.
“The Gifting Hour is a glorious visual and emotional feast which is both grown-up and childlike at the same time. Our chosen track, Richard Ashcroft’s - ‘Sonnet’, is a memory for anyone who grew up in the 90s – and the fact we’ve not chosen a cover version really leans into the nostalgia. We are delighted, however, to invite the nation to cover the track for Christmas day, in a wonderful twist on the magic John Lewis formula.”
Richard Ashcroft said: “To everyone involved in the project I raise a sherry and say salut! Sonnet plays again, time for some mince pies. Merry Christmas peace and love to all mankind.”
It’s the third chapter of John Lewis’s Golden Quarter campaign having announced the return of Never Knowingly Undersold in September and launching their Christmas Gifting Showcase earlier this month. The campaign is supported by out-of-home advertising, digital print and social media that showcases some of the most popular gifting products with a knowing wink as to why it is right for each individual customer. It encourages customers to search in store and online for gifts with knowing and wisdom.
For more information please contact:
Charlotte Innes, Communications Manager at John Lewis 020 7798 3940
John Lewis Press Office 01344 825 080
Notes to Editors
Link to the ad HERE
Link to the song HERE
*Competition: To be in with a chance to be the next cover star, from 15th November people simply need to enter via the branded effect on the John Lewis TikTok page and upload their cover of "Sonnet" to TikTok with hashtag #MySonnet. Go to the John Lewis TikTok account for details on how to enter. T&C’s apply.
**Building Happier Futures: Proceeds from the winning single will support the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme, which helps care-experienced people build brighter futures. Donations will contribute to building supportive communities for care-experienced people to thrive in, through providing both employability support, unlocking the potential of a talented community and helping families and carers create happy and secure homes. Building Happier Futures
About the John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership owns and operates two of Britain's best-loved retail brands - John Lewis and Waitrose. Started as a radical experiment over a century ago, the Partnership is now the largest employee-owned business in the UK, with 70,000 employees who are all Partners in the business. The Partnership is purpose-driven, existing to create a fairer and more sustainable future for our Partners, customers, suppliers and communities. Our Purpose not only inspires our principles, drives our decisions and acts as our guide to be a force for good, it steers us to do things differently and better - all in service of creating a happier world for everyone and everything we touch.
John Lewis operates 34 shops across the UK as well as johnlewis.com. Waitrose has 314 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 59 convenience branches, and another 27 shops at Welcome Break locations. The retailer's omnichannel business includes the online grocery service, Waitrose.com, as well as specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine and waitroseflorist.com for plants and flowers.
About Saatchi & Saatchi
Saatchi & Saatchi have a simple ambition to create the most influential creative ideas from modern Britain, a mission recognised by its inclusion in Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies List 2023.
This spirit is brought to bear on transformative work for clients including EE, BT, Subway, Pilgrims, The John Lewis Partnership (incorporating John Lewis, Waitrose, and John Lewis Financial Services), and OVO. The company also launched Upriser in late 2022, a free-to-access creative schools platform available to any secondary school in the UK.
The Saatchi & Saatchi network includes 114 offices in 67 countries and 6,500 people. It is part of the Publicis Groupe. www.saatchi.co.uk
CREDITS:
CAMPAIGN TITLE: The Gifting Hour
CLIENT: John Lewis
JLP CUSTOMER DIRECTOR: Charlotte Lock
BRAND DIRECTOR: Rosie Hanley
BRAND MARKETING LEAD: Katie England
SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER: Carolyn Timberlake
MARKETING MANAGER: Rebecca Day
ADVERTISING AGENCY: Saatchi & Saatchi
CCO: Franki Goodwin
CSO: Richard Huntington
COO: Sarah Jenkins
CPO: Jessica Ringshall
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Eoin Mclaughlin
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Ali Dickinson
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Mia Silverman
HEAD OF PLANNING: Emily Lewis-Keane
PLANNING DIRECTOR: Polly Goodman, Shaun Murphy
BUSINESS LEAD: Rania Kouros
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Jack Steer
EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Sam Robinson
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Adam Walker
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Mickalah Aldridge
HEAD OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS: Charlotte Fisher
BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER: Dan McPhilimey, Liz Staley
MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: OMD Manning Gottlieb
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Geraldine Ridgway
BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Melanie Nixon
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Tabitha Miller
HEAD OF DIGITAL: Danielle Matthee
MG AV: Andrew Matsoukis
MG SOCIAL: Phaedra Poulimenou, Elizabeth Papadimitri
MG PROGRAMMATIC: Charles Pullen, Emma Walters, Lakshay Bhatia
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Riff Raff
DIRECTOR: Francois Rousselet
OWNER: Matthew Fone
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jane Tredget
PRODUCER: Jay Lovelock
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Katie Keith
DOP: Nicolas Karakatsanis
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Alexandre Vivet
COSTUME DESIGNER: PC Williams
CASTING: Kharmel Cochrane
POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: ETC
COLOURIST: Luke Morrison
VFX SUPERVISOR: Alex Snookes
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Antonia Vlasto
PRODUCER: Oscar Wendt
EDITING COMPANY: Final Cut
EDITOR: Amanda James
PRODUCER: Nikki Porter
SOUND HOUSE: 750MPH
SOUND DESIGN: Sam Ashwell, Jake Ashwell & Mark Hellaby
SOUND MIX : Sam Ashwell
HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Olivia Ray
MUSIC : Wake The Town
MUSIC SUPERVISOR: Dom Bastyra
