John Lewis, the revered British retailer synonymous with heartwarming Christmas campaigns, takes a daring departure from tradition in its 2023 Christmas ad, signaling a creative shift by partnering with Saatchi & Saatchi London.
The focal point of the campaign is an eccentric character named “Snapper,” a Venus flytrap with aspirations of becoming a Christmas tree. In a whimsical turn reminiscent of “Little Shop of Horrors,” Snapper grows to impressive proportions but, alas, outgrows the cozy living room. The spot takes an unexpected twist when Snapper, far from a menacing creature, reveals itself as a festive and friendly companion with exceptional present-unwrapping and confetti-launching skills.
Breaking free from the typical sentimental tone, John Lewis embraces the message that it’s acceptable to challenge and redefine holiday traditions. In a period marked by uncertainty, where people might incline towards familiar customs, the ad encourages the acceptance of change and the creation of new traditions. Watch below:
REELated:
Charlotte Lock, Customer Director for John Lewis, emphasized the dual celebration of both classic and evolving traditions. She remarked, “The film celebrates themes of family and evolving traditions and shows that a ‘perfect’ Christmas is finding joy together with loved ones, whatever your traditions.”
A noteworthy departure from convention in this year’s campaign is the choice of music, featuring an original track by legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli. The decision to opt for a unique composition counters AI-generated predictions favoring a classic ballad cover.
Saatchi & Saatchi’s Managing Director, Sarah Jenkins, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration with John Lewis, praising the campaign’s celebration of timeless and evolving Christmas traditions.
The multi-platform campaign spans TV, social media, Meta AR filters, and a digital advent calendar on the John Lewis app. In a nod to modern marketing trends, the release includes a Snapper collection of merchandise, representing the retailer’s “widest-ever range” associated with a holiday ad.
CREDITS:
BRAND: John Lewis
- Customer Director: Charlotte Lock
- Director of Marketing: Rosie Hanley
- Advertising Lead: Emma Wood
AGENCY: Saatchi & Saatchi-London
- CCO: Franki Goodwin
- Executive Creative Director: Paddy Fraser
- Senior Creative: Alex Kosterman
- Senior Creative: Avani Maan
- Executive Design Director: Nathan Crawford
- Character Design: Kris Miklos
- Design Team: Simon Anderton, James Crickmore, Natalie Alves, Jay de Silva, George Colledge, Dani Wolf, Benny Yang, James Goodwin Davies
- Chief Strategy Officer: Richard Huntington
- Head of Strategy: Sam Wise
- Senior Planner: Polly Goodman
- Managing Director: Sarah Jenkins
- Managing Partner: Humphrey Taylor
- Business Lead: Rania Kouros
- Account Director: Jack Steer
- Chief Production Officer: Jessica Ringshall
- Executive Production Director: Sam Robinson
- Agency Producer: Alex Pemberton
- Production Assistant: Grace McDonagh
- Junior Creative: Iki Choi, Will Griffin
- Junior Planner: Humiraa Firdaws
- Head of Data Arts: Ruth Bates
- Data Artist: Jack Buck
- Account Director: Julia Leibetseder, Cali Fish
- Account Manager: Dylan Payne
- Agency Producer: Stephanie Evans, Nayab Malik, Joe Revens
- Program Director: Lauren Pickard
Media Buying Agency: OMD Manning Gottlieb
- Executive Director: Geraldine Ridgway
- Business Director: Melanie Nixon
- Client Account Director: Jordan Golding
- Head of Creativity: Tamara Cross
- Creativity Director: Will Selwyn
- Partnerships Business Director: Maddie Taylor Wilson
- Partnerships Account Director: Chloe Jukes
- Partnerships Senior Executive: Daniel Morris
- Investment Director: Gabriella Michalski-Turner
- Programmatic Business Director: Charles Pullen
- Performance Group Director: Phaedra Poulimenou
- Client Account Director: Tabitha Millar
- Client Account Manager: Elizabeth Rutherwood
- Client Account Executive: Margarida Amaro
- Client Account Assistant: Ruby Edwards-Probert
- Head of Digital: Danielle Matthee
- Digital Account Manager: Adam Kerbouci
Production Company: Riff Raff
- Director: Megaforce
- Producer: Richard Weager, Tracey Cooper
- Executive Producer: Matthew Fone
- Production Manager: Savvas Stavrou
- Production Assistant: Rosa Galvin, Maddy Smith
- DOP: Matias Boucard
- 1st AD: Chris Kelly
- Production Designer: Marco Puig
Post-Production Company: Electric Theatre Collective
- Colorist: Luke Morrison
- Creative Director: Dean Robinson
- VFX Supervisor: Alex Gabucci
- CG Supervisor: Dorianne Fibleuil
- Executive Producer: Magda Krimitsou
- Production Coordinator: Ryley King
- 2D Compositing: Alex Kulikov, Taran Spear, Adam Woolrich, Tijan Holder, Victoria Pascual
- Animation Supervisor: Andras Ormos
- Animation: Fabrice Fiteni, Han Park, Gererd Murphy, Fred Austin
- Lighting/Look Dev: Jordan Dunstall, Wesley Roblett, Aidan Callaghan, Lennart Vulto
- FX: Dan Yargici, Sergio Morales Paz, Alberto Scotti, Nick de Leeuw
- Asset Build: Bibin Panackal, Zhane Nathan-Grant, Poul Resen Steenstrup, Joseph Dowling, Holland Crouch, Parker Britt, Tom Harrison, Mara Pawlowska
- Rigging: Nikolai Maderthoner, Clementine Lecluse, Jashua Fernandez, Jo Allington
- Concept: Emily Shilling
Editing Company: Final Cut
- Editor: Joe Guest
- Assistant Editor: Matt Gabzdyl
- Executive Producer: Michelle Corney
Sound House: 750mph
- Sound Engineer: Sam Ashwell, Jake Ashwell
- Head of Production: Olivia Ray
Music: Wake The Town
- Music Supervisor: Dom Bastyra
- Music Writer & Producer: Le Feste Antonucci
- Performed by: Andrea Bocelli
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