First UK 2018 Christmas ads

Every year, one of the things I wait for the most is the John Lewis Christmas ads. They always tell a story, in all sorts of ways, and they’re all very watchable. This year’s ad (above) is no different.

The ad obviously follows Elton John (the ad is called “Elton John Lewis”), but it’s point is that a gift can lead anywhere, even to places we can never imagine when we give it. A good point, I think. Naturally, they want you to but those gifts from John Lewis and Partners, but, obviously, gifts don’t need to be purchased to have such a profound effect. Regardless, I think this ad makes its point very well.

John Lewis Partnership is an employee-owned retail company in the United Kingdom (the “partners” are the employee-owners). In addition to retailer John Lewis and Partners, they also own grocery chain Waitrose & Partners, which is why I share their ads along with the John Lewis ad, and this year there are two (so far).

The most recently posted ad is “Concert”:



The ad posted somewhat earlier is called “Mistletoe”:



Both ads place food at the centre—of course, it’s for a grocer, after all—but they do it with humour and stories of people. The ads follow the same general pattern in the Christmas ad for New Zealand supermarket chain Countdown, which I shared in my first Christmas ad post for this year (http://amerinz.blogspot.com/2018/11/first-2018-christmas-ad.html). The Waitrose ads are less fantic than Countdown’s, but the frenzy was basically the point of that ad.

These stores of the John Lewis Partnership have always made nice ads. I’m glad to see that continues.

Previous John Lewis ads I’ve shared:

Moz (my post: “First UK Christmas ads") – 2017
Buster The Boxer (my post: “Buster the Boxer’s ad") – 2016
Man on the Moon (my post: “Something nice") – 2015
Monty the Penguin (my post: “Another nice ad”) – 2014
The Bear and The Hare (my post: “Because it’s nice”) – 2013