AFTER THE AD with our Junior Creative, Scarlett
Some of us might still be recovering from Halloween but there’s no rest for the wicked: the 2025 Christmas ad season is upon us! Here’s Scarlett’s thoughts on one of the most anticipated ads of the season…
You know Christmas is coming when the John Lewis ad is here…
This year’s campaign is a bit different from the usual snowy scenes but it still has an emotional story at its heart: a son gives his father a vinyl of ‘Where Love Lives’, which brings on a flurry of memories. It's nostalgic, showing us how gifts can help us reminisce and express emotions we sometimes struggle to say out loud.
I think this could be a bit of a divisive advert as it’s not the most traditionally Christmassy, but it works really well as a more mature ad for families with older children (and perhaps a bigger John Lewis sized budget…).
If I was going to build on the ad campaign and take it a step further, I’d follow up with a product-finder creative...
This could ask consumers questions about who they’re buying for and how they want to make them feel – and then suggest the perfect gift based on emotion. Do you want to make them feel happy? Nostalgic? Amused? It could tie in perfectly with the ad and provide the answers needed to pick a great present.
We all know how stressful Christmas shopping is and this way, John Lewis could spotlight their best picks and help their audience at the same time. Win win.
