A still from John Lewis's Christmas advert for 2024 showing a young girl pressed against a shop window(Image: John Lewis/Saatchi & Saatchi)

Watch the moving John Lewis Christmas advert for 2024 with Richard Ashcroft soundtrack

by · Wales Online

In recent years, John Lewis has given us a boy who befriended a venus flytrap, a foster dad learning to skateboard for his daughter, a young girl who spots a man living on the moon, an infant dragon burning everything, Moz the monster, the Elton John inspired boy and the piano and a snowman shopping for his wife.

This year, in 2024, John Lewis's 18th Christmas advert is all about memories. Called the Gifting Hour, it follows a woman frantically buying a last-minute gift for her sister. The heroine of the story, Sally, runs into the department store chain's flagship Oxford Street store 15 minutes before closing time.

She falls through a rack of dresses and finds herself in the attic of the home where she grew up. And from there is taken on a journey through memories of growing up with her sister as she tries to find a fitting present. The advert concludes with her meeting her sister outside the store with the gift wrapped and they walk away with the child from her memories reflected in the window of the store.

It is the first time a John Lewis store has featured in one of the chain's adverts and features an original soundtrack from Richard Ashcroft, the former frontman of indie band The Verve, who lends his song Sonnet from his Acoustic Hymns album.

A still from John Lewis' new Christmas advert
The advert follows a woman frantically buying a last-minute gift for her sister in the memory-strewn tear-jerker, The Gifting Hour

John Lewis has launched a competition on TikTok to find someone to cover the song. The winner will record their own version of Sonnet to feature in a special Christmas Day airing of the advert on TV. And Ashcroft's record label BMG will release it officially. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter

The advert, which lasts two minutes, was created by the agency Saatchi & Saatchi for the third time, ends with the strapline: “The secret to finding the perfect gift? Knowing where to look.”

John Lewis is offering a life-changing opportunity to someone who covers Richard Ashcroft's soundtrack(Image: John Lewis/Saatchi & Saatchi)
Richard Ashcroft, the former Verve frontman, provides the soundtrack to the advert with his song Sonnet from his Acoustic Hymns album(Image: PA)

John Lewis customer director Charlotte Lock said: “Our ad heroes the thoughtful gift-giver and celebrates ‘the gifting hour’, the moment when you go a little deeper in your heart and in our stores to find something really special and meaningful for the ones you love. Our shops are the beating heart of our brand and our customers love the ritual of Christmas shopping there – so we wanted to give the store a starring role in our ad for the first time.

“This year the John Lewis Christmas advert features an original song rather than a cover track, and we’re offering the nation the chance to put their own stamp on it and become the ultimate cover star.”

A still from John Lewis' new Christmas advert, which follows a woman frantically buying a last-minute gift for her sister in the memory-strewn tear-jerker, The Gifting Hour.
The 2024 John Lewis advert features the real store for the first time(Image: John Lewis/Saatchi & Saatchi)

All proceeds from the winning single will go to the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme, which helps “care-experienced” people.

Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, said: “We’ve all been there – time’s running out and you’re still looking for the perfect gift for someone in your life who’s impossible to shop for.

“That’s why I believe viewers will truly connect with our heroine, as she dives into a rack of dresses, exploring her memories in search of that special gift. The Gifting Hour is a glorious visual and emotional feast which is both grown-up and childlike at the same time.

“Our chosen track, Richard Ashcroft’s Sonnet, is a memory for anyone who grew up in the 90s, and the fact we’ve not chosen a cover version really leans into the nostalgia. We are delighted, however, to invite the nation to cover the track for Christmas Day, in a wonderful twist on the magic John Lewis formula.”