{"id":25931,"date":"2018-11-15T17:21:53","date_gmt":"2018-11-15T17:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thevoiceoflondon.co.uk\/?p=25931"},"modified":"2018-11-15T17:21:53","modified_gmt":"2018-11-15T17:21:53","slug":"the-john-lewis-christmas-advert-is-more-tiny-dancer-than-dasher-and-prancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/the-john-lewis-christmas-advert-is-more-tiny-dancer-than-dasher-and-prancer\/","title":{"rendered":"The John Lewis Christmas advert is more Tiny Dancer than Dasher and Prancer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Department store chain John Lewis & Partners have released their 2018 Christmas advert, in a modern tradition widely seen as the unofficial start of the festive season.<\/strong><\/p>\n

John Lewis & Partners\u2019 master marketeers have, for the last decade, tugged on the nation\u2019s heartstrings with their annual Christmas campaigns aimed at making John Lewis stores synonymous with Christmas shopping.<\/span><\/p>\n

Their new advert eschews the traditional softly-sung cover versions of famous songs with Elton John, singing his seminal anthem Your Song – keen John Lewis advert fans will note this was previously covered by Ellie Goulding for the 2010 John Lewis ad.<\/span><\/p>\n

The whistle-stop tour of Elton John\u2019s piano-playing career is certainly emotive, but has had a mixed reaction from the public:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Elton John’s music (and eagerly await next year’s big screen biopic), but, using Your Song on the John Lewis advert when it was used before by Ellie Goulding smacks off unoriginality. Rest of the advert is perfectly acceptable.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Matthew Bonson (@TheOneDonBon) November 15, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

are we surprised that i\u2019ve watched the john lewis advert three times already and gotten emotional all three times? definitely not.<\/p>\n

\u2014 \ud835\udc1c\ud835\udc1e\ud835\udc2b\ud835\udc32\ud835\udc2c (@ceryslilyy) November 15, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

*watches john lewis advert*<\/p>\n

My brain:
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it
\nDon\u2019t say it<\/p>\n

Me: pic.twitter.com\/672mBW7G1z<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pummell (@Matt_pummell) November 15, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Some have bemoaned the lack of a \u201cchristmassy\u201d feel to the advert, when previous years have largely centred around families and children at christmas, or winter-oriented themes like snowmen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Others loved the advert, and it\u2019s no surprise: according to the Guardian, John Lewis & Partners\u2019 marketing team sifted through 300 potential scripts before settling on their campaign, hoping that national treasure Elton John could provide a much-needed boost to John Lewis\u2019 retail fortunes.<\/span><\/p>\n

In September, John Lewis & Partners reported a 99% dive in profits. At the time, the retailer said: \u201cWith the level of uncertainty facing consumers and the economy, in part due to ongoing Brexit negotiations, forecasting is particularly difficult but we continue to expect full year profits to be substantially lower than last year for the partnership as a whole.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s advert has also been criticised as a perceived promotion for Elton John\u2019s final world tour, scheduled to begin in 2019, and the Elton John biopic, Rocketman starring Taron Egerton, which is also due to release in next year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

So did John Lewis pay Elton John to appear in the Christmas advert, or did Elton John pay John Lewis to create a trailer for his new biopic? \ud83e\udd14 Either way, it was terrible.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Rebecca (@baileyandme_) November 15, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Genuinely thought the John Lewis Christmas advert was an ad for Elton John’s biopic Rocket Man \ud83e\udd14 #EltonJohnLewis<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/QpdFn7Kvq2<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Shay \ud83c\udf19\ud83d\udd2e\ud83e\udd87 (@NerdyGirlShay) November 15, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The #EltonJohnLewis advert can be watched below: <\/span><\/p>\n

[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mNbSgMEZ_Tw]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Featured Image: Courtesy of John Lewis<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Words: Matthew Hall | Subbing: Shruti Tangirala<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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