Watch: The John Lewis Christmas advert is out – and so is M&S ad with Tom Holland as Percy Pig
A young alien experiencing her first Christmas – complete with mince pies and novelty jumper – is the star of this year’s John Lewis festive campaign.
The highly anticipated ad sees the retailer attempt to tap in to customer enthusiasm for a traditional Christmas season after last year’s muted celebrations amid pre-vaccination Covid.
Titled Unexpected Guest, the two-minute ad stars space traveller Skye crash-landing at the height of festivities in the woods near the home of 14-year-old Nathan, who introduces her to the traditions of eating mince pies, decorating the tree and, to her slight confusion, wearing novelty jumpers.
The soundtrack is provided by 20-year-old London singer and songwriter Lola Young, who performs a cover of Together In Electric Dreams, originally released by Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder in 1984.
The release of the ad is around a fortnight earlier than usual and comes as the retailer revealed Christmas-related searches on its website are up 50% on this time last year.
Spider pig
Meanwhile, Hollywood A-lister Tom Holland has swapped his Spider-Man suit to become Percy Pig this Christmas as part of Marks & Spencer’s bumper festive campaign.
The high street giant said it wants to make this Christmas “its biggest ever” as it launches two marketing campaigns on the same day as rival John Lewis releases its new festive advert.
M&S Clothing has launched a musical advert showing off a range of clothing, encouraging customers to have an “anything but ordinary” Christmas, continuing its marketing slogan from earlier this year.
Meanwhile, the retailer has brought children’s favourite sweet Percy Pig to life through animation for the first time to celebrate the launch of its new Christmas food ranges.
It has hired Tom Holland, who is set to reappear as Spider-Man in the third instalment of his franchise next month, to voice the porcine character.
In the ad, Percy comes to life after a swing of the wand by a fairy played by another well-known British actor, Dawn French.
The pair then roam an M&S foodhall store, with the company showing a variety of new products including a triple-chocolate panettone and “golden-blond Christmas pudding”.
“I’ve loved Percy Pigs for as long as I can remember, and when I was asked to be his voice – his first ever voice – it took me less than a second to say yes,” Holland said.