Saatchi & Saatchi’s John Lewis Christmas ad embraces wholesomeness
Our first Christmas ad review of 2025 is, aptly enough, the most awaited: Saatchi & Saatchi ‘Where Love Lives’. It’s understated, nostalgic and captures an often overlooked spirit of the season.
Saatchi & Saatchi and John Lewis have unwrapped the 2025 Christmas season with a campaign that packs a lot in, yet still feels understated.
The setup
‘Where Love Lives’ spans TV, digital, OOH, social, and in-store, and features a reimagined soundtrack from Labrinth and 90s dance legend Alison Limerick.
The 120-second film, directed by Jonathan Alric of The Blaze, is set on a Christmas morning in a family home. A distracted teenage son watches his dad tidying up festive debris as he discovers an unopened gift: a vinyl of “Where Love Lives.”
Dropping the needle, the dad is transported to his dancing days in a 90s club with friends, as his memories melt into the baby steps of his teenage son, who continues to watch on.
The scene resolves in a present-day, wordless embrace between father and son as the music still echoes.
Beyond the film
The experience goes beyond the hero film: social reveals, print and radio spots, and gifting, while Rough Trade at John Lewis offers an exclusive ‘Where Love Lives’ vinyl, including both Limerick’s original and Labrinth’s freshly emotional update, with all profits channelled to John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme.
Franki Goodwin, Saatchi & Saatchi chief creative officer, said: “Music is the beating heart of John Lewis at Christmas, but this time it’s the gift, too. We wanted to show how the right song, the right present, says all the things we sometimes can’t find words for. This one’s a banger in every way—here’s hoping it sparks plenty of family nostalgia and expressive gifting.”
Rosie Hanley, John Lewis brand director, adds: “It’s about connection, memory, and magic. Thoughtful gifts are our love language, and we hope this campaign inspires customers to let their presents speak volumes.”
And from Alison Limerick herself: “I squealed when I found out—music brings people together, and Labrinth’s version is so beautiful. I hope it gives this song new meaning for families everywhere.”
Labrinth: “Being part of something so iconic, so embedded in British Christmas, means the world. I hope it brings everyone a little closer to home.”
Our Take
John Lewis Christmas ads are now appointment viewing for British households, and it’s hard not to feel a little prayed on emotionally. “Feel moved dammit!”
I must admit, however, that this ad did indeed hit me in the feels. And I think deceptively there were a lot of reasons.
Firstly, the musical nostalgia is something that, at 42, I’m spotting in a lot of my friends who are happily busy with father duties yet pine every now and then for the freedom that the carefree 90s afforded them. It’s also pretty obvious that music was - yeah I’ll say it - better then, and the widespread use of that era’s cultural artefacts is testament to this.
‘Where Love Lives’ also taps into something deeper than mere tradition. It shows gifts as vessels for the words we struggle to say.
It was noteworthy, I thought, that I was expecting the teenage son to fall into the tropes often portrayed in ads, and make some snarky remark, or take the piss out of his out-of-touch dad. He didn’t, however, and it felt refreshing and real, capturing a moment where they realise they’re not so different.
I guess if I’m being critical, I was struck more by the messaging than the production or spectacle. But still, it’s a winner for me.
Stay tuned for a piece from someone who was less enthused, on these pages, soon. We welcome all opinions.
Credits
Client: John Lewis
Director of Brand: Rosie Hanley
Brand Marketing Lead: Amy Tippen-Smith
Senior Brand Marketing Manager: Carolyn Timberlake
Brand Marketing Manager: Laura Masters
Brand Marketing Senior Executive: Holly Graham
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
CCO: Franki Goodwin
ECD: Will John
Creative Director: Brodie King
Associate Creative Directors: Pete Ioulianou & Ollie Agius
Creatives: Paddy Fraser, Brodie King, Pete Ioulianou & Ollie Agius
Group Creative Director: (Amplification): Caroline Paris
Creatives (Amplification & Supplier Funded): Molly Ohayan & Issie Peach
Creative (Gifting Stills): Will Blackburn
Designers: Kevin Hipke, Shane Horn
CPO: Jess Ringshall
Executive Production Director: Sam Robinson
Executive Producer: Rose Reynolds
Senior Integrated Producer (Gifting Stills): Zan Stepien
Integrated Producer (Supplier Funded): Izzy Woods
Production Assistant: Rita Aboderin
Exec Strategy Director: Emily Lewis-Keane
Planning Director: Polly Whitton
Planner: Elena Georgiou, Phoebe Lyons
Group Managing Partner: Alice Kassapian
Business Leader: Isaac Hickinbottom
Account Director: Jack Steer, James Hall
Account Manager: Mirta Esara
Head of Business Affairs: Charlotte Fisher
Business Affairs Manager: Liz Staley
Media: OMD Manning Gottlieb
Campaign & Hero TV Ad:
Flora Williams: Exec Director
Gerry Ridgway: Exec Director
Duncan Timlin: Business Director
Mel Nixon: Business Director
Tabitha Rosenfeld: Account Director
Rosie Wishart: Effectiveness Lead
Sophia Nall: Programmatic Director
Andrew Matsoukis: AV Director
Gifting incl. Plat, SF and BF:
Fran Lucas: Account Manager
Logan McJannet: Snr Account Exec
Ruby Probert: Account Exec
Lucy Miles: Social Manager
Lakshay Bhatia: Programmatic Manager
Charlie Wingfield-Jones: OOH Director
Amplification:
Chris Evans: Managing Partner
Tamara Cross: Chief Creative Officer
Will Selwyn: Creative Director
Chloe Jukes: Partnerships Director
Production Company: Iconoclast
Director: Jonathan Alric
Director: Supplier Funded: Nogari
Managing Director / EP: Guy Rolfe and Jean Mougin
Head of Production: Beatrice Warren
Producer: Jane Lloyd
Production Manager: Lucy Banks
Production Manager: Supplier Funded: Tabetha Glass Jackman
Production Coordinator: Rob Rogan
Production Assistants: Chriolles Khalil and Andre Wooz
1st AD: Ben Gill
DOP: Shabier Kirchner
Production Designer: Robin Brown
Costume Designer: Hannah Edwards
HMU Designer: Eve Coles
Casting Director: Coralie Rose
Location Manager: Hugo Smith Bingham
Gaffer: Dave Smith
Prop Masters: Jed Evans and Matt Marsden
Edit: TRIM
Editor: Tom Lindsay
Edit Assistant: Nanako Kawasaki
EP: Noreen Khan
Producer: Polly Kemp
Supplier Funded Editor: James Forbes-Robertson
Supplier Funded Assistant Editor: Magda Plugowska
Colour: Company3
Colourist: Matthieu Toullet
Colour Producer: Chris Anthony
EP: Ellora Soret
Post: Selected Works
Executive Producer: Alex Fitzgerald
Head of Production: Dan Crozier
Creative Director: Greg Spencer
Compositing: Owen Maiden
DMP: Lyndall Spagnoletti
Production Assistant: Beatriz de Carvalho
Shoot Attend: Austen Humphries
Post: Supplier Funded: Harbor
Colourist: Toby Tomkins
2D Artist: Hani AlYousif
Producer: Sarah Maerz
Music: Wake The Town
Music Supervisor: Dom Bastyra
Sound: 750MPH
Head of Production: Olivia Ray
Sound Engineer: Sam Ashwell
Sound Engineer: Jake Ashwell
Producer: Aishah Amodu
Vinyl Design: ILOVEDUST
Lead Animator/Designer: Joanna Maflin
Art Director: Greg Wade
Animator/Designer: Ellie Mason
Designer: Louis Bradder
Project Manager: Amy McCarthy
Stills: Prodigious
Photographer: Benedict Morgan
Set Designer: Andrew Stellitano
Executive Producer: Rachel Wickham
Junior Producer: Farah Ikhlas
Studio Project Director: Stephanie Wood
Artworkers: Katie Luong, Steve McFarlane, Bruce Wallace, Paul Jeffreys
Head of Retouching: Kirsten Howe
Retouchers: Gareth Ling and James Wootton
Head of Design: James Crickmore
Designer: Kumal Shah
If you enjoyed this article, you can subscribe for free to our weekly email alert and receive a regular curation of the best creative campaigns by creatives themselves.
Published on: