Last week saw the much anticipated unveiling of the new John Lewis Christmas advertisement. Since John Lewis returned to the small screen in 2007, their Christmas ads have been a talking point among consumers in the lead up to the festive period. This year, the John Lewis ad features a friendship between a young boy and a penguin called Monty. When Christmas day arrives, the young boy gifts Monty with the present he has always been dreaming of – a female penguin companion. According to the marketing director at John Lewis, they were aiming to bring people back to their childhood and tell a real story of love and friendship. The ad has received almost 12 million views after 5 days on YouTube, cementing its place at the top spot of the Christmas marketing charts.
But John Lewis weren’t the only company to broadcast their Christmas ad for the first time last week. M & S and Debenhams were among the retail giants to get into the Christmas spirit. The Debenhams “Found it” ad features a group of children searching for their perfect gift during an overnight stay in the store. M & S went for a different approach, with their “Follow the Fairies” campaign showing two fairies, Magic and Sparkle, clocking in for work at the Fairy Factory. Their job is to bring a smile to the faces of unsuspecting people.
There is one common aim of all the newly released Christmas ads – they are designed to pull on our heart strings. Ultimately, retailers want to be front of mind as people start their Christmas shopping and competition aren’t shy about seeking to emulate John Lewis’ success.
You can watch the John Lewis ad here.