Because of the pandemic, many of us were not able to spend last year’s Christmas as we probably would have liked, alongside our loved ones. Less than two months separate us from the most wonderful time of the year and John Lewis & Partners‘ customers “are more excited than ever for Christmas, craving joyful moments, togetherness, and escapism.” As people want to reconnect with family, the brand’s new spot is like a journey back in time, reminding us of the priceless moments that we experienced during our first Christmas.
“There is nothing more magical than discovering the joy of Christmas for the first time and enjoying your favorite festive moments with loved ones. After the last 18 months, we wanted our advert to really celebrate this as we look forward to a brighter future,” says Claire Pointon, Director of Customer. Teaming up with adam&eveDDB agency, the company’s new spot, titled the “Unexpected Guest,” introduces us to the spirit of the season through the eyes of new visitor Skye and 14-year-old boy Nathan.
Traveling back home from school, the boy sees a flashing light in the sky. He starts chasing it to the forest behind his house and eventually comes across space traveler Skye and her broken spaceship. The timing of her landing on Earth could not have been better, as down here, people celebrate Christmas.
They become friends and the relationship between them grows as Nathan helps Skye discover the magic of the holiday. He introduces her to some Christmas traditions such as decorating a tree, eating together, watching holiday movies, and playing in the snow. The time for Skye to return to her home planet has come but before she leaves, Nathan gifts her the Christmas jumper that made the friendship between the two possible. They say goodbye to each other and the girl disappears in the night sky, leaving a bright light behind her that finally morphs into a star on a Christmas tree.
“We know our customers are excited for this festive season more than ever, as they reconnect with family and friends. Through the story of Skye and Nathan, we celebrate friendship and are reminded of the joy of experiencing Christmas for the first time,” continues Pointon.
The two-minute-long video’s soundtrack — a cover of “Together in Electric Dreams” track by Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder — is performed by Lola Young, a 20-year-old singer-songwriter from South London. Speaking about what this project means for her, Young says: “I feel super honored to be a part of this, growing up I always watched the John Lewis Christmas adverts, they’re iconic and so it kinda feels surreal getting asked to be in one. It also means a lot as an up-and-coming artist to be a part of something this special. Together in Electric Dreams is a very beautiful song. I love that era of music and I think Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder are incredible. The lyric and soul within the song is something inspirational, fitting to the story within the ad. I feel so excited to be covering it and working with John Lewis.”
Customers can deep dive into John Lewis’ ad through the app, website, and on Snapchat as well as through the brand’s ten Christmas Emporiums. Also, Nathan’s Christmas jumper that he offered as a gift to Skye is available for purchase in the brand’s shops and online. Ten percent of the profits for each jumper sold will be donated equally to Give a Little Love charities Home-Start and FareShare. Additionally, My John Lewis Members are given the chance to explore the new magical world via the “Unexpected Guest: The Experience” interactive game.
Credits:
Client: John Lewis & Partners
Director of Customer: Claire Pointon
Director of Creative and Content: Matt Richmond
Head of Brand Marketing: Rosie Hanley
Advertising Lead: Emma Wood
Senior Advertising Manager: Holly Kicul
Senior Advertising Executive: Rebecca Stevens
Senior Advertising Executive: Ellie Smith
Agency: adam&eveDDB
Chief Creative Officer: Richard Brim
Joint Chief Executive Officer: Tammy Einav
Managing Director: Paul Billingsley
Creative Directors: Matt Gay & Feargal Ballance
Copywriter: Matt Gay & Feargal Ballance & Patrick McClelland
Art director: Matt Gay, Feargal Ballance
Executive Producer: Sally Pritchett
Integrated Producer: Clio McLeary
Assistant Producer: Claire Peacock
Project Manager: Amy Waldman
Designer/Typographer: King Henry: Dave Robinson
Head of Integrated Production: Ben Sharpe
Head of Diversity, Equality & Inclusion: Bukola Garry
Chief Strategy Officer: Martin Beverley
Planning Partner: Hugh De Winton
Senior Planner: Sian Iles
Business Director: Jo Lorimer
Account Director: Charlie Poole
Account Managers: Emily Bristowe
Business Affairs: Layla Husted / Lois Edwards / Gemma Davies
Legal Counsel: Candice Macleod / Tom Campbell / Trine Odin
Media
Media agency: Manning Gottlieb OMD
CEO: Natalie Bell
Managing Director: Katrina Bozicevich
Executive Director: Glenn Berchnall
Business Director: Ryan Cummins
Account Director: Lauren Ashford
Strategy & Planning: Matthew Philip & David Bielenberg
Executive Director, Head of Creativity and Innovation: Tamara Cross
AV Media Planners: Gabriella Michalski, Daniel Baker & Tom Brown
Social Media Planners: Gilad Mandelboim & Lucie Barnett
Digital Video Planners: Erika Maciulyte & Gareth Treacher
Production Company
Production Company: Smuggler
Producer: Ewen Brown
Production Manager: Marketa Husecka
Director: Mark Molloy
D.O.P: Greig Fraser
Production Designer: Nathan Parker
Costume Designer: Rosa Dias
Hair & Makeup Artist: Michele Baylis
Casting: Ali Fearnley
Post Production Partners
Editing Company: Work Editorial
Editor: Stewart Reeves
Edit Assistant: Rain Keene
Editing Producer: Ellie McNaughtan
Post Production: nineteentwenty
VFX Supervisor: Bill McNamara
2D VFX Supervisor & Creative Director: Ludo Fealy
CG VFX Supervisor: Ben Thomas
2D Artists: Jamie Stitson, Adam McHale, Humayun Mirza, Nicole Palucsis, Jessica Hayes, David Ince, Joseph
Dymond, Chrys Aldred, Matt Hutchins
3D Artist: Ivan Tomovic, Andrew Maccabe, Alison Stott, James White, Guido Pagotto, Mike Farrar, David
Rencsenyi
DMP & Environment Artist: Emilis Baltrusaitis, Aurelien Ronceray
Motion Graphics: Anthony Scott
Concept: Jake Lunt Davies, Nathan McKenna
Colourist: Kai Van Beers
Colour assist: Elliott Ward
VFX Producer: David Keegan
Music Supervisor: Leland
Audio Post Production: Factory
Sound Engineer: Anthony Moore
Sound Producer: Beth Massey
Music
Track Name: Together In Electric Dreams
Music Supervisor: Leland Music (Abi Leland, Ed Bailie & Toby Williams)
Library, Licensed or Commissioned: Licensed
Composers: Philip Oakey / Giorgio Moroder
Artist: Lola Young
Music Producer: David Kosten
Master: Universal Music Group / Island Records
Publishers: BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited (50%) / Warner Chappell North America Limited (50%)