John Lewis reveals sneak peek of its upcoming Christmas ad
Excitement builds as John Lewis teases its highly-anticipated Christmas ad, infused with heartwarming traditions Collaborating with new agency Saatchi & Saatchi, this festive masterpiece promises to captivate viewers like never before!
John Lewis & Partners has teased its 2023 Christmas ad on social media. The festive ad will be the first produced with its new agency partners Saatchi & Saatchi.
The brand posted a brief 10-second teaser on various channels, including X (previously known as Twitter). The teaser showcases a young boy holding a box labeled as the 'perfect Christmas tree' and asking his grandmother if he can have it. Upon opening the box, he reveals a seed. The hashtag accompanying the teaser is 'traditions grow' and it confirms that the full ad will be released on Thursday, November 9th.
The marketing industry is eagerly awaiting this week's John Lewis Christmas ad as it signifies the brand's first collaboration with Saatchi & Saatchi. Over the years, the retailer's holiday commercials, such as 'The Man on the Moon' (2015) and 'Excitable Edgar' (2019), have received significant acclaim, capturing widespread attention.
In fact, 'Excitable Edgar' achieved a remarkable star rating of 5.9 in System1's effectiveness rankings, the highest possible rating in 2019.
However, in recent years, John Lewis and their previous agency partners Adam&EveDDB have been overshadowed by other brands in the rankings of festive ads. Last year's ad, titled 'The Beginner', received a rating of 3.3 stars in System1's ranking and was outperformed by advertisements such as Asda's featuring Will Ferrell and the return of Aldi's Kevin the Carrot.
This new agency partnership comes at a time when John Lewis is undergoing a broader transformation. The company faced challenges this year, with a reported loss of £243 million for the 2022 financial year in March. In addition, Sharon White, the retailer's chair, announced last month that she will be stepping down at the end of her five-year term in February 2025. Her departure will make her the shortest-serving chair in the history of John Lewis, according to the BBC.
John Lewis’s customer director Charlotte Lock characterized the retailer as being in a phase of significant expansion. In May, Lock shared with Our Website that in collaboration with new agency partners Saatchi & Saatchi, her team would strive to facilitate this growth by effectively communicating "the John Lewis distinction".
"We are placing great emphasis on developing a deep understanding of our consumer base," she explained. "We are committed to ensuring that our customers grasp the uniqueness of our brand."
Speaking at the time, she pledged that Christmas 2023 would be “very special” for the retailer but emphasised that John Lewis is a brand which is relevant far beyond the festive season.
