John Lewis & Partners’ most recent holiday advert is a joint venture with Waitrose & Partners and agency Adam&EveDDB, which has received widespread adoration from millions of viewers. The viral success of last year’s campaign and those before has cemented John Lewis’ Christmas campaigns as an annual cultural event of sorts, as the ads are met with great anticipation come holiday season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9D-uvKih_k
This year’s story is set in a snowy medieval village, starring the duo of Excitable Edgar the dragon and a young girl named Ava. The pair venture around town to participate in the holiday festivities, but are met with trouble due to Edgar’s tendency to breathe fire when he gets too excited—an unfortunate attribute when being excitable is your defining trait.
A heartfelt cover of REO Speedwagon’s song “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” done by Bastille lead singer Dan Smith, perfectly compliments the heartwarming nature of the campaign.
Edgar’s little excitement problem causes a snowman to turn into a puddle of water, and what was once an ice skating rink is reduced to a pond full of unhappy ice skaters. This series of unfortunate events does little to help Edgar’s worsening reputation. Edgar and Ava’s efforts to contain the matter are futile, as the town’s tree lighting ceremony ends with everything burnt to a crisp, leading poor Edgar to storm off in shame.
At the end of it all, Ava finally figures out the path to Edgar’s redemption–found in the form of a flaming Christmas pudding.
