Making ends meet is tough right now. Price is triumphant in shopping decisions. John Lewis has heard the call. On September 17, Saatchi & Saatchi will launch the retailer’s biggest ever marketing campaign and refreshed brand promise.
And although it is only September, John Lewis will give anxious adpeople a very good idea of what the Christmas campaign will bring.
John Lewis is returning to its century-old Never Knowingly Undersold commitment in a reimagined form that reflects how customers shop today, and the launch commercial will be the first in a trilogy with the theme of Knowingly explored in further adverts that run over the Christmas selling period.
The new adventure begins on September 9, when John Lewis will be price-matching 25 major UK retailers in stores and online with the help of AI technology.
The new campaign will then explore what it means to Live Knowingly, with a focus on the themes of knowing and wisdom – the beauty in knowing ourselves and others, how wisdom is a driving force in understanding who we are and our loved ones…and, of course, that John Lewis is there at every step of the way.
A 90-second hero film by Saatchi & Saatchi will launch the renewed direction. It celebrates John Lewis’ constant presence on high streets and how, for over 100 years, John Lewis shop windows have seen many changes. The changing windows in the film span key historical occasions to the simplest and most intimate of everyday moments, all with a constant drumbeat of changing tastes, styles, fashion, beauty, and technologies.
In the film, a single window will change over a century as it is dressed and redressed – every different display representing a different wisdom spanning over 100 years of living knowingly. The film spans iconic eras including the roaring ’20s, the outbreak of war when the store was used as an air raid bunker, the swinging ’60s, and the present day. Yes, it intends to evoke nostalgia, loyalty…emotion.
So John Lewis’ Christmas might even look like this?:
To create the new campaign, Saatchi & Saatchi sourced wisdoms from everywhere – some very well known, some it had to dig deep to seek out, and some written from scratch. These wisdoms come from John Lewis customers, partners, and agency copywriters, from wise people who have shaped John Lewis’ past, to those who are shaping the future.
The hero commercial, directed by KingShe, draws heavily from material in John Lewis’ archives department to give the film real authenticity, and to reflect the joy customers felt for embracing new products for the first time, at different times.
It also includes unique work developed in partnership with a range of British talent and artists. The dresses worn in the ad are based on original John Lewis designs, developed in collaboration with newly acquired designer, Sister Jane, as well as duvet dress designs shown in the sleep-themed window, created by emerging sustainable designer, Ed Marler.
Bafta fellow and actress, Samantha Morton, delivers the film’s moving monologue about what living knowingly means. The soundtrack is provided by a specially created, reimagined version of Paul Simon’s I Know What I Know, performed by British music artist, Laura Mvula.
The commercial goes live in key programming from September 19. Exact programming is still being finalised but will include Googlebox on September 20 and Bake Off on September 24. The windows in the film will be recreated in shops across the John Lewis estate. Oxford Circus tube station will also be taken over, as well as activations across nationwide OOH, press, social media, and online video.
Charlotte Lock, John Lewis customer director, stated, “You can expect the most exciting Golden Quarter ever from John Lewis, full of shop investment, new partnerships, new brands and experiences and a series of very special adverts starting with this one. We are starting a conversation about what it means to ‘Live Knowingly’ and are doing so with John Lewis’s signature British eccentricity.”
Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, said, “Bringing back the Never Knowingly Undersold promise and launching the Live Knowingly platform has allowed us to delve into the rich archives of John Lewis, uncovering the deep connection this brand has shared with the nation for over a century. This isn’t just a shop – it’s been everything from a date night destination to a bomb shelter. It’s where you might have first laid eyes on a bra, a toaster, or a sleep mask. Every piece of wisdom and window display is crafted with a profound understanding of our past and present customers. It’s a beautiful and resonant tribute to our heritage.”
The broader plans for John Lewis and Live Knowingly involve new collaborations, investment in shops and delivering brands to customers in new ways.
Credits:
Client: John Lewis
Campaign Director: Charlotte Lock
Marketing Director: Rosie Hanley
Content Director: Megan Heinl
Marketing: Katie England
Marketing Managers: Carolyn Timberlake & Rebecca Stevens
Strategy Manager: Tony Marsden
Creative Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi London
Chief Creative Officer: Franki Goodwin
Chief Strategy Officer: Richard Huntington
Executive Creative Director: Eoin Mclaughlin
Associate Creative Director: Mia Silverman
Copywriter: Olivia Weston
Art Director: Emily Downing
Design Director: Rakeem Russell
Designer: Maarit Koobas
Head of Planning: Emily Lewis-Keane
Planning Directors: Polly Goodman & Shaun Murphy
Planner: Elena Georghiou
Business Lead:Rania Kouros
Account Director: Jack Steer
Account Manager: Hamish Dundas
Production Director: Sam Robinson
Producers: Danielle Saddler & Grace McDonnagh
Media: Manning Gottlieb OMD
Production: Somesuch
Director: Kingshe
