"The Gifting Hour"

14 November 2024

2 mins

There's love if you want it

The third and final part of John Lewis's festive campaign (part one came out in September, part two at the start of November) is the Christmas spot—the one agency Saatchi & Saatchi knew had to live up to the hype. Two minutes on from hitting the play button, DAVID can confirm that they've pulled it off.

Directed by François Rousselet, 'The Gifting Hour' starts at crisis point. The protagonist has to buy a present for her sister, but the store closes in fifteen minutes. None of the dresses she looks at are contenders, but they provide her with a path back in time where she can look for clues.

In the attic of her childhood home, she finds what Richard Ashcroft calls "a red box of memories" (John Lewis opted to use Ashcroft's acoustic cover of hi song 'Sonnet', not the one performed by The Verve). This is only her first stop — she has many eras of sisterhood to visit before she finds the gift that counts.

Games are played, arguments are had, and waters break as the pair meet at various points in time. The performances are complemented by reactive set design and visual effects that help time fly (an argument over a top, for example, leads to a storm in a bedroom).

When Sally figures out what to buy for her sister, it happens on the sofa (this is the second Christmas ad to feature 'Wallace & Gromit' in the background). We like that we never see the gift she buys in the present day, as all that matters now is what punters buy for their loved ones.

Franki Goodwin and her team at Saatchi & Saatchi have concocted a script that's a bit like a puzzle, and while Rousselet has solved most of it, some of it is left for the viewers to work out for themselves. While this has led some to describe it as "confusing" and "chaotic", this factor adds hugely to its effectiveness... there is nothing more rewarding than joining the dots in your head, and once the puzzle is solved, it unleashes all the feels.

The store itself features prominently, which is astute. To persuade people to shop at John Lewis, it's helpful to remind them that it's a pleasurable experience. Once through its portals, they can take their time and expect help from unhurried staff... provided they haven't left it until the last fifteen minutes to get started!

UK

Department Stores