Kind of takes the adland fun out of Christmas, doesn’t it? The John Lewis ad has been released already.
It’s called The Boy and the Piano and it traces Elton John from very young to now (backwards) through his first major hit, Your Song. The song runs throughout the commercial, which is a montage of John performing it at various stages of his life. The next to final scene is that of a very young Elton John receiving his first piano for Christmas. First and last scenes are of the present day Elton John at the piano.
Don’t think that adam&eveDDB’s 10th John Lewis Christmas ad is not a hallmark tear-jerker. If you don’t well up, you’re not human. It’s just not a fictional story.
Its release was new and different too. This year, the campaign was unveiled by employees from the John Lewis Partnership, who were given the opportunity to share the 2.20 minute ad from their own social accounts on Thursday, November 15, two hours before John Lewis released it on its own channels, and many hours before it went to air on ITV at 9.15pm. For the first time also, John Lewis and Waitrose’s Christmas ads will both be shown in cinemas.
Different actors play Elton John throughout the video. Freddie Henderson plays the very young Elton. Brandon Stein plays teenage Elton. Oliver Marshall plays Elton John in the ‘70s, Simon Burbage in the ‘80s and ‘90s years and Elton John plays himself in the present day scenes. The entire song is played throughout the advert, but it is pieced together using different recordings that John sang throughout his career, subtly defining each change of era. The costumes were designed by Joanna Johnston to be identical replicas of Elton John’s original outfits.
https://youtu.be/mNbSgMEZ_Tw
John Lewis will also be releasing a behind the scenes video, outlining the details of how the campaign was put together.
Like previous John Lewis Christmas campaigns, this one is being translated into an experience for John Lewis shoppers. This year, shoppers will be able to step into the actual sets used in the filming of the advert, in the flagship Oxford Street store in London, and even try on the actual costumes used in filming. The 2,000 sq ft space will house the recording studio, the living room and the dressing room sets featured in the commercial.
The John Lewis shop windows began featuring musical light shows every 30 minutes from 4pm on Thursday 15 November, to mark the advertisement’s launch. These played Elton John’s Christmas classic track, Step Into Christmas.
“We’ve been doing John Lewis Christmas ads for some time now and what’s on my mind is how we move it on creatively but hold on to the heart of what makes them special,” stated Craig Inglis, the customer director at John Lewis & Partners.
“I hope audiences will watch this and really enjoy the national treasure that is Elton John.”
The campaign’s cost has become a hot topic, with rumours about John Lewis’ fee abounding. According to the retailer, this year’s campaign cost the same as last year’s, around £7m.
