Credit where it’s due
John Lewis on London’s Oxford Street. Image courtesy of Timothygareth
This is the new John Lewis ad from Adam & Eve. I guess in a way is easypeasy to create emotional advertising for John Lewis, after all thats what we got in spades last Christmas with the ‘sweet child of mine’ spot. Trickier to do it around the much admired, totally nebulous and increasingly tired guarantee that John Lewis are ‘never knowingly undersold’.
This is one of those ads that you start watching and immediately fall in love with then get that aweful feeling in the pit of your stomach that the brand or message is going to utterly disappoint you. And it sort of does when the price guarantee is delievered at the end. Then just as you are about to throw something at the telly the final super appears and everything slots into place. Not only does the execution make sense but suddenly the dust is blown off a brand promise that we have all grown up with in the UK (well those of us who are terminally middle class at least) but had kind of assumed JL had got bored of.
On show here we have tight thinking and achingly good execution married together. And as for the track – well I have always loved Billy Joel in his Piano Man period.
It’s a wonderful example of how “traditional” advertising is still utterly exciting and relevant when you get both the strategy and execution right.
That’s the most expensive schmatzometer I have ever seen.
It’s well good though.
Really enjoy the spot and the post. Simple idea, wonderful execution and a great track. Spot on.