Home Life Style John Lewis’ best festive TV advert in years… and not just because there are no men in it: JAN MOIR’s view from the sofa

John Lewis’ best festive TV advert in years… and not just because there are no men in it: JAN MOIR’s view from the sofa

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John Lewis has finally unveiled its hotly-anticipated Christmas advert - returning once again with a festive tearjerker that viewers have come to expect

Did John Lewis’ new Christmas advert make me cry this year? Readers, I have to confess a yes. But these days I cry over everything from cute puppies on TikTok to Angela Rayner’s pantsuits.

For better or worse, the announcement came out today, which means the official countdown to Christmas has begun and it’s going to be meatloaf madness between now and Boxing Day.

This year’s effort, made by Saatchi and Saatchi, features a no-nonsense older sister named Sally running around the John Lewis flagship store on London’s Oxford Street, trying to find a last-minute gift for her younger sister. Here’s Sally, looking bossy in her oatmeal Fair Isle sweater, as she falls between a rack of dresses.

To her surprise, she enters a familiar Narnia and embarks on a magical timeline that goes back and forth throughout their brotherly lives together.

From childhood to feuding adolescence, to a moment when Lil Sis is pregnant and her water breaks on Christmas Eve when she’s playing charades in a tight lime green dress. I think I understood well. Big Sis Sal is there for help, as she always has.

For those of us lucky enough to have sisters, it is a touching celebration of sororal bonds. For others, it remains a relatable celebration of family and love, even if, for a full two minutes, viewers are exposed to the usual sly barrage of John Lewis products woven into the story.

Did John Lewis’ new Christmas advert make me cry this year? Readers, I must confess that it is, writes Jan Moir.

The heartwarming commercial takes viewers on a magical journey that follows a sister's (pictured) emotional search for the perfect Christmas gift.

The heartwarming commercial takes viewers on a magical journey that follows a sister’s (pictured) emotional search for the perfect Christmas gift.

During the cheerful advert, main character Sally (pictured right) runs into a John Lewis flagship store on Oxford Street just before closing time after leaving a little late to find the right gift for her brother. .

During the cheerful advert, main character Sally (pictured right) runs into a John Lewis flagship store on Oxford Street just before closing time after leaving a little late to find the right gift for her brother. .

In a moment inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, she falls through a rack of dresses and enters a fantasy world, stumbling out of an old closet in the attic of her childhood home.

In a moment inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, she falls through a rack of dresses and enters a fantasy world, stumbling out of an old closet in the attic of her childhood home.

From there, he goes on a whimsical journey through his memories as he urgently searches for the best gift for his beloved sister (pictured left).

From there, he goes on a whimsical journey through his memories while urgently searching for the best gift for his beloved sister (pictured left).

On the ingenious conveyor belt of this year’s store there are many stuffed animals, a nice armchair, leather pants, sofas, mugs and a nice camel coat.

But keep it there. Because what this ad does not have – in any meaningful way – is any man. Repeat. Not a single man. Not only is this absolutely wonderful, but it’s also unusually refreshing and honest.

Too many holiday ad campaigns feature merry men jumping and singing yo-ho-ho, pruning the tree, and enthusiastically wrapping gifts before saying no, darling, let me set the table, are Robin’s napkins starched and written, sealed, and mailed? the cards? ? Leave it to me, darling, I insist.

What a joke, because we all know that most of them don’t even know where the stamp is from one year to the next and their idea of ​​getting into the Christmas spirit is to become Scrooge. John Lewis’ explosion of festive realism is a welcome change.

And this year’s advert, which is called The Gifting Hour and is accompanied by The Verve’s songwriter Richard Ashcroft, playing his wispy ballad, Sonnet, also marks a welcome return to form for John Lewis in the Christmas campaign.

Because it’s finally freed itself from the pious nonsense of recent years, which usually involved some obnoxious kid in pajamas and a pom-pom hat, trying to spread some vague, unspecified message about Christmas giving and sharing to the uncaring ranks. of insensitive British buyers. Not always very effectively.

In a particularly touching scene (pictured), Sally meets her late mother and shares a brief festive moment with her.

In one particularly touching scene (pictured), Sally meets her late mother and shares a brief festive moment with her.

Sally also breaks out into an argument with a teenage version of her sister over the loan of a top, in another nostalgic part of the ad.

Sally also breaks out into an argument with a teenage version of her sister over the loan of a top, in another nostalgic part of the ad.

It begins with the heroine, Sally, running into the store to look for a gift for her sister, only to fall between a rack of dresses and begin a magical journey through her memories. She is greeted by a younger version of her sister (pictured), who helps her find the perfect gift along the way while revisiting different scenes from her life.

It begins with the heroine, Sally, running into the store to look for a gift for her sister, only to fall between a rack of dresses and begin a magical journey through her memories. She is greeted by a younger version of her sister (pictured), who helps her find the perfect gift along the way while revisiting different scenes from her life.

The ad is equally full of light-hearted moments, including the two sisters enjoying a skate on an ice rink (pictured) before bursting into laughter as they fall onto a couch.

The ad is equally full of light-hearted moments, including the two sisters enjoying a skate on an ice rink (pictured) before bursting into laughter as they fall onto a couch.

Having found the best gift, ready and wrapped, Sally goes out and has a special moment with her sister, who will be the recipient of the gift.

Having found the best gift, ready and wrapped, Sally goes out and has a special moment with her sister, who will be the recipient of the gift.

As they walk away, we see her sister reflected in the John Lewis window as the girl from her memories.

As they walk away, we see his sister reflected in the John Lewis window as the girl from his memories.

Who could forget last year’s much-derided offering, which featured a Venus flytrap named Snapper vomiting gifts at a bewildered family while Andrea Botticelli shouted in Italian over the top?

It was a disaster, made even more insulting by the fact that John Lewis sold felt toy versions of the fly traps in their stores.

What was that all about? Is it okay to be different? Sing if you’re happy to be gay? Nobody knew for sure.

The year before we were gifted with a father who skateboarded so he could bond with the child he and his wife were adopting for Christmas.

Very dignified, but there is a fine line between good intentions and condescension, and this came dangerously close to the latter.

The ad, titled The Gifting Hour, ends with the tagline: 'The secret to finding the perfect gift? Know where to look.

The ad, titled The Gifting Hour, ends with the tagline: ‘The secret to finding the perfect gift? Know where to look.

In a first for the brand, a John Lewis store takes a starring role in the campaign, while singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft provides the emotional soundtrack to his ballad Sonnet.

In a first for the brand, a John Lewis store takes a starring role in the campaign, while singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft provides the emotional soundtrack to his ballad Sonnet.

2021 brought an alien in a spaceship who experienced Christmas for the first time and was thrilled by the gift of a light-up sweater, while 2020 had a neighborhood play-dough celebration accompanied by a sweet song from Celeste, seriously wondering “won’t we?” ?” Would it be wonderful if everyone gave a little love?’

It certainly would be. With winning little performances from two lovely actresses and a simple message about the right gift that doesn’t have to be expensive, this is John Lewis’s best and most moving effort in years. No men! No kids!

That’s the kind of Christmas I love, never understated or unknowingly so.

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