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After much hype and plenty of anticipation, the John Lewis Christmas advert has arrived and it certainly lives up to expectations.
The Gifting Hour follows a woman who attempts to secure a last minute gift for her sister. She embarks on a magical journey through her past memories in a search for inspiration.
It is a really brilliant effort and I love it - see the three reasons why here. But how does it compare to the previous John Lewis Christmas adverts? Let’s rank them to see which is best.
The rating system is from one to five Jingle Bells - and is based on my personal opinion on how Christmassy the advert is, how well the storyline works, the choice of song and more. Do you agree with my ranking, let me know by emailing me: [email protected].
1. Is John Lewis 2024 its best Christmas advert?
The Gifting Hour is here - but how does it compare to past John Lewis efforts? Photo: John Lewis | John Lewis Photo: John Lewis
2. 18 - Shadows (2007)
The first John Lewis Christmas advert and it is clear they had not yet come across the secret sauce that would make their annual Christmas campaign’s so memorable. It has its charm and is a clever concept - but ultimately it is not particularly festive and doesn’t pull at the heartstrings. Rating: 1 Jingle Bell | John Lewis/ YouTube Photo: John Lewis/ YouTube
3. 17- Clues (2008)
You can see the genesis of the now standard John Lewis Christmas advert formula starting to form here - it is the first of the ads to feature a cover song (From Me to You" by the Beatles). But it is still very much an ‘advert’, rather than an iconic festive moment. Rating 1.25 Jingle Bells. | John Lewis/ YouTube Photo: John Lewis/ YouTube
4. 16 - The Feeling (2009)
We continue to get closer to what would become the John Lewis Christmas advert format with this one. A fun concept based around remembering what Xmas felt like as a child. It just lacks the strong emotional storyline to tug at your heartstrings. Rating: 2 Jingle Bells. | John Lewis/ YouTube Photo: John Lewis/ YouTube