Once Halloween has been spooked away, life is obviously just a collective twiddling of thumbs until the real sign of Christmas: the John Lewis advert. It’s pretty much become a national event, with the UK on hold to see just how much of a tearjerker it’ll be this time.
Today (November 14), it’s here, and features something that it never has before: an actual John Lewis store taking a front and centre role. Titled ‘The Gifting Hour’, it shows off the last-minute rush to find the perfect present for a loved one intertwining with the hectic stress-meets-love for family and friends at Christmas time. Watch the advert below:
No one can accuse this one of not being festive, with the whole premise of the festive rush for gifts taking the main theme, but the tears many might want from a John Lewis advert may be hard to come by – it’s admittedly hard to well up when reminded of pushing past other shoppers looking for gifts. That being said, it does conjure up the traditional settings of Christmas and throws in bittersweet emotions that might be enough to get some of us going when we’re in that sort of mood.
They’ve also done away with the slowed-down-ballad-of-a-huge-song formula that’s come to be linked to the John Lewis advert, and viewers will instead recognise the dulect tones of The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft, warming up for his Oasis support slot next year by lending Sonnet to soundtrack the advert.
Speaking on the advert, Ashcroft said: “To everyone involved in the project I raise a sherry and say salute! Sonnet plays again, time for some mince pies. Merry Christmas peace and love to all mankind.”
“The secret to finding the perfect gift? Knowing where to look” is the advert’s tagline, showing Sally looking for a gift late in the day in a John Lewis store before burrowing away into a rack of clothes that morphs into her own memories of Christmas, from her childhood home to the pub with her friends. If nothing else, it hits the note of Christmas being a time of reflection and appreciating those who are important to you, a note which John Lewis has proved expert in knowing how to strike around the festive period.